Tomb Raider Vs Tomb Raider
by TombRaider
Summary: (Chapter 13 is up! There's Tomb Raider ficcage in me yet!) As the dust settles from Alex's embezzling scandle whos side will Lara be on?
1. The School Of Tomb Raiding

Author's note: My other Tomb Raider story Tis The Season has been discontinued. I'm currently working on redoing Sisterly Love. But I wouldn't suggest holding your breath for it. Anywho, here's a new story that I've been thinking about. Enjoy. 

Oh and my shiny new website, where you can find tons more of my work is http://mblow0t5.b0x.com

Tomb Raider Vs. Tomb Raider

Alex West parked his car outside of the grand Croft manor and glared up at the structure. He got out of his new vehicle and glanced around the scenic grounds. The race track, the elegant and tall stone walls, the carefully tended gardens. If he wasn't so furious with the manor's owner, he might have enjoyed the settings a bit more. 

Slipping his Rayban sunglasses into his jacket pocket, he walked up to the front door of the manor and rang the doorbell. Within a few seconds, the door swung open and Alex was face to face with Hillary, who politely smiled at him.

"Good morning, Mr. West. What can I do for you?" He asked in a cheery voice.

"Where's Lara?" Alex snapped.

"I'm sorry sir, she's not up yet. Would you like to leave her a message?"

_Like hell she's not awake yet. The little backstabbing bitch is probably throwing a party right now. . . _Without another word, Alex shoved past Hillary, almost knocking the butler over, and ascended the long flight of stairs to the upper rooms.

"Mr. West! You were not invited-!" Hillary objected.

"Shove it, Hillary!" Alex shouted back down to him. He was too angry to heed Hillary's further warnings, especially the ones about Lara shooting him for intruding on her. He was armed, after all. Not to mention that he deserved an explanation for Lara's recent actions. Alex made his way up the stairs and burst into Lara's bedroom.

"Lara Croft!" He thundered. He looked around her room, then spotted her, curled up in bed, with a book laying beside her, still peacefully asleep. "Lara, wake up!" He roughly shook her by her shoulder, then realized that she was sleeping nude.

Alex was studying the bare contours of her back, when suddenly, Lara grabbed the knife that she kept under her pillow, caught Alex by his shirt and pinned him against the bed, pressing the long blade of the knife against his throat.

"Good morning, Mr. West." Lara said, in her soft, accented voice.

Had Alex not be within an inch of his life, he would have been rather please with the situation of being pinned to a bed by a beautiful, naked woman.

"I suppose you have an explanation for this. . . ." She said, studying his handsome features. "Otherwise, Hillary is in need of some fertilizer for his garden."

"Get off me!" Alex shouted, shoving the knife from his throat and sitting up. Lara sat up as well and replaced the knife under her pillow.

"Hm, that was the first time you've ever said that to me." Lara commented. She got out of bed and walked over to her large closet. "So, are you going to give me an explanation for all of this, or do you want me to beat it out of you?"  She asked as she selected a white bathrobe from the monochromatic clothing.

"Hold on, Lara, you owe _me_ an explanation!" Alex snapped.

"For what?" Lara asked, slipping into the robe and tying it around her narrow waist.

"For what!? Don't act so damn innocent!"

"Alex, I am very tired and I do not feel like playing guessing games. Either tell me what is bothering you, or I might just test out my new sniper rifle on you." She said, walking over to her laptop computer that sat on her cluttered desk and pressed the power button. She turned back to Alex.

"Well?"

"Alright, fine. Tell me why I picked up a copy of the paper this morning and found out that _you_ have just acquired the Eye of Odin for your personal collection." Alex demanded.

"Hm, because I have." Lara shrugged.

"And that one of _my_ students was found hog tied in his boxers in the snow, near the excavation site?!"

Lara shrugged again.

"Listen Lara," Alex glared, approaching the tomb raider and forcing her back against the table, leaving her no room to escape. "I don't really care about your silly little personal vendetta against me, but how dare you take it out on my students?" He growled.

"Do you really think that you're intimidating, Alex?" Lara smirked.

"Damnit, Lara! Why can't you just leave my students alone?!" He roughly grabbed her arms and shook her.

Suddenly, Lara's knee connected with Alex's groin. He swore and doubled over in pain. Lara placed her hands on his shoulder and shoved him to the floor.

"Do you really want to know why I acquired the Eye of Odin after you publicly announced that the finest student from your new School Of Tomb Raiding would be attempting to recover the piece for the school's private collection?" Lara asked, crouching down beside the fallen tomb raider, then pulling Alex by his shirt, into a sitting position.

"Yes." He said, still wincing in pain.

"Because you have turned tomb raiding into a sordid, greedy business and now you've taken to training high school drop outs to be as corrupt as you and as a result, I'm getting the backlash from this. Now, if you actually trained your students in archeology and not just destroying everything in their paths to get to an artifact and making tombs and excavation sites inaccessible to everyone else, I might just leave your pointless, money grabbing school alone." Lara released Alex's shirt.

"God, did I catch you at the wrong time of the month, or something?" Alex asked.

"No. If you did, you'd be dead."

"Look Lara, I'll do better to train the kids, but come on, do you have to be like this? I _did_ ask you if you wanted to be an instructor. The offer is still open."

"Alex, tomb raiding is an art, not a past time. Especially not to the likes of your students."

"You've never even met any of them!" Alex objected.

"I don't have to. I've already seen a very interesting article about how a group of the underage students used the money they get from you as an allowance to make fake Ids to get into local pubs. Too bad they got caught, hmm, Alex?"

"That was only a few of them, and they were all expelled!"

"Have you lost any students, Alex?" Lara asked, turning to face him.

"No, they've never gotten lost in caves or anything."

"No, I mean, have any of your students ever died."

"No."

"What are you going to do when one does?"

"They're not going to die."

"Oh really? Tomb raiding is dangerous, Alex. I shouldn't have to tell you that. Few people survive tomb raiding adventures and fewer still are able to make a living out of this. But now, you've started luring children, who aren't even completed with school yet, to go get themselves killed trying to get you a few measly artifacts."

"You risk your life for artifacts. . ."

"Yes, I risk _my_ life. I don't risk other's."

"Look, I am going to continue with the school and if you don't like it, I really don't care. You've never done anything but criticize and berate my ideas since I've met you."

"Perhaps because all of your ideas are ridiculous, foolish and are only focused on how much money is in the bargain."

Alex stood and glared at Lara. He had an overwhelming desire to throttle her, but he knew he would never make it off the grounds alive, if he did. "You know, we used to get along so well." Alex said, his features softening as he approached her.

"Yes, we _used_ to." Lara echoed as Alex placed his hands on her waist. She became ridged.

"Why can't we get along again?"

"Because cause you're a greedy, unscrupulous, sell out who will do anything for money." Lara responded, trying to back away from him, but finding his grasp around her waist to be extremely strong. Lara shot him an annoyed look. "I've asked you before, not to touch me." She said, coldly.

"What? Afraid you might like it?" Alex said, mimicking her pervious smirk.

"Since you have wondered this so much, previously, _this_ is one of the reasons that I will not date you."

"Because I know what I want?"

"No, because you're pushy, you're arrogant, you always leap into things without a second thought, you have no concept of common sense and your entire existence revolves around the almighty pound."

"Okay, fair enough. And I happen to find _you_ haughty, pompous, judgmental, you could use an entirely new wardrobe and you snore, sometimes."

"I do not snore." Lara said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"And I have common sense." He replied.

"Alex, is there a point to this conversation?"

"I thought there was."

"Really? What was it?"

"For you to leave my students alone, or come and train them yourself, if you're so upset with how I'm teaching them."

"I think I'll turn down both offers." Lara responded.

"Okay, I expected as much. But how about dinner, next Friday? We could talk about tomb raiding. . . Maybe you could give me a few pointers." He said.

"Don't patronize me." Lara snapped.

"Then come out to dinner with me."

"So our pictures will end up in the paper and it'll get even more publicity for your school?"

"Alright, if that's what you're worried about, come over to my place. I'll cook you a delicious dinner and we can have a nice chat."

"No."

"Polite as always."

"Rot in hell, Alex West."

Alex laughed. "Until next time, my dear." He smiled and left Lara's bedroom. Lara gazed out of her bedroom window and watched him climb into his car and drive away from the Croft manor. She blinked. That encounter was rather odd. First, he showed up, ready to commit homicide, then he leaves, smiling. Lara shook her head. Alex was a strange man.

The tomb raider sat down at her desk and glanced at the screen of her laptop. She looked around her desk for the notes she had taken on the Eye of Odin and it's strange powers of transformation. She had been studying the piece the night before, wondering if she would be able to handle the power of the object if she ever used it. Lara glanced around her desk and discovered the eye was sitting underneath a stack of research books on Norse gods. She picked up the object and studied it for several seconds. She had been so exhausted the pervious night that she had forgotten to replace the artifact in her workshop, on the ground floor. Lara turned the object over and much to her horror discovered a sticker which proclaimed; Made In Hong Kong.

Lara made an outraged cry. Alex! He must have taken the real piece and switched it with the cheap rendition of it when he had pinned her against the table. Lara let loose a stream of swear words and grabbed her portable telephone from its cradle on her nightstand. She punched in Alex's cell phone number and stood impatiently, while the phone rang on the opposite end.

Then, Alex finally picked up. "Hello, Lara." He said, a cruel smile spreading over his face.

"You bastard!" Lara exploded.

"Don't give yourself a heart attack, dear."

"You have the gall to walk into my house and-!"

"Steal something that you stole from me? Why yes, I do. So, how about dinner?"

Lara tried to formulate an answer to the obnoxious man on the phone, but was only able to make a frustrated cry.

"Is that a yes?"

"Alex, if don't return my piece, I hope you know that this means war."

"Come on, Lara. Come over to my apartment and we'll make some sort of peace, eh?"

"No!"

"Listen, let's talk, okay? Neither of us need a full fledged war. Especially when we could work together and get a lot more accomplished."

"You're despicable."

"I do try. So, I'll see you about seven-ish on Friday?"

"Fine." Lara grumbled, not seeing any other option. Besides, if she planed to steal the piece back from him, then she would need to know what kind of security he had.

"Great. And, Lara, please wear a dress."

"Don't push your luck. . ."

Alex laughed. "Good bye, Lara." He hung up.

Lara glared at the phone. She hated Alex West. He always had the most annoying effect on her. Lara always tried to remain calm and in control, especially when it came to men, but Alex always managed to get the better of her, in one way or another. Lara set the phone back in its cradle and looked around the room. 

_Well, if Alex West wants to play games, then I am going to pull a few aces from my sleeves. . . _Lara thought as she walked over to her closet. She pulled a small stepping stool over to her wardrobe and retrieved a large box from the shelf above her normal clothing. She descended the step stool and walked over to her bed, setting the box on her pillows and opening it. Inside the box was a black formal dress that she had received as a Christmas present the pervious year.

Lara held the revealing dress against herself and examined it in the full length mirror in her room. The dress was floor length, with a sexy slit running from the floor to the left thigh. The top was a simple V-neck, which displayed plenty of cleavage. The back was a swooping cut and halted just below where her hair fell to. Lara had laughingly called it her seductress dress when she had first received it. She wasn't laughing now. Lara happily put the dress back into its box, planning out the date with Alex. If there was one thing that she was certain of, Alex would be easy enough to manipulate and although leading him on and using his emotions for her personal gain, might be considered cheating, it was easier than simply killing him. 

Lara mentally shrugged, she considered cheating to be a delicate art. And that she had mastered.


	2. Dinner Date

Lara checked her reflection in the silver sports car's rear view mirror. She studied her calm features and once she was satisfied that she looked fine, she got out of her car and looked up at Alex's new house. The house was right on the outskirts of the School Of Tomb Raiding campus. The building was a major step up from his pervious bachelor apartment, which was cramped and always seemed to be messy. Lara breathed deeply, then gathered up her skirt and carefully walked to the front door. She knocked, softly as she looked over her new high heels. They were extremely painful, yet looked classic on her feet. 

Alex finally answered the door. Lara opened her mouth to say something, but stopped short when she saw what Alex was wearing. He was clad in a pair of faded jeans and a white button-down shirt that was unbuttoned to his waist, leaving the shirt open and his well sculpted chest in perfect view.

_Damn him! Lara mentally swore. Just when she thought she would finally have an edge over him and she wouldn't feel so damn awkward around him, he suddenly does something to place her right back where she started from. __Just stay calm. Lara reminded herself. __Being smooth only means appearing smooth on the outside._

"Hello, gorgeous." Alex smirked at his dinner guest. "Come on in." He said, opening the front door wider and admitting the tomb raider into his home. "Might I take your coat?" He asked, eyeing the swelling cleavage that was displayed from the dress's neckline. Lara flushed red when she saw where his line of sight was. She wanted to leave immediately, but managed to calmly slip out of the light jacket she was wearing and hand it to Alex. _Breathe. . . She instructed herself._

"My, my, my." Alex said, happily noting the dress's cut in the back. "I'm flattered, Lara." He murmured, running a hand down her spine. The actions sent violent warning signals through her head. 

She roughly caught Alex's wrist and glared at him. "I'm not making an offer." She snapped. "Furthermore, I did not come here to be manhandled by you."

"Really?" Alex asked, freeing himself from her grip and placing her jacket into the hall closet. "Where do you usually go?" He asked.

"I don't want to argue with you." Lara said, flatly. She felt suddenly self conscious and rather strange to be parted with her jacket. She avoided Alex's gaze as he looked her over.

"You'd probably lose anyways." He said. "Well, come along, dinner is getting cold." He lead her through a rather elegant sitting room, into a formal dinning room. The room was quite large and  with a finely crafted oak table and a setting for two. Lara observed her surroundings, with a careful eye.

"I'm impressed Alex." She finally said. "You can actually see the floor in here."

"This is going to be a fun date. . ." Alex smiled. 

Lara glanced at the cuisine that was set out on the table. A dish of beef lo mein, a dish of sweet and sour chicken, beef with broccoli and even a bowl of egg drop soup.

"Tops China?" Lara asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Tin Lee's Chinese Take Out Palace, actually." Alex smirked. "I was going to cook for you, myself. But the day was a little longer than I thought it was going to be and I was too exhausted to cook."

"Or change." Lara said, looking over his outfit.

"I'm sure you can find it in your heart to forgive me." He said, then gestured to a chair. "Please have a seat, mi amor."

"I didn't know you spoke Spanish." Lara said, take in her seat in perfect lady-like fashion.

"That was Spanish?" Alex asked. "I thought it was French." He shrugged. "Must have seen it in a movie somewhere. Anyways, I'll go grab the champagne. You can start eating if you want." He said. Alex suddenly leaned over and pressed a kiss to her lips. Before Lara could react, he ducked towards the kitchen and made it past the kitchen door, unharmed.

Lara shook her head free of the thoughts of Alex and took a plate from the end of the table. She began to pile it high with Chinese food, completely ignoring her regular diet. A Chinese food splurge seemed in order.

"So, Lady Croft." Alex said, walking out of the kitchen, holding two crystal champagne glasses and a bottle of very expensive champagne. "How was the drive down here?" He asked, setting the glasses onto the table and filling each half way with the alcohol.

"I didn't come here to make small talk." Lara responded, ladling herself a small bowl of egg drop soup.

"Fair enough." Alex shrugged, handing Lara a glass. She took the glass from him and gave him a level look.

"Hmm, what should we drink to?" Alex asked, sliding into the seat beside Lara.

"To this date being as short as possible." Lara said. She clinked her glass with his and drained the cup as if it had been a shot glass.

"Planning on getting drunk are we, Lady Croft?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow.

Lara squeezed her eyes shut and bit back an expression of disgust at the drink. "Well, Mr. West, your company is much easier to take when one is not sober." She explained.

"Well, don't drink too much, honey. I still want to talk to you and it's going to be a little hard to get a decent conversation out of you if you're drunk." Alex told her as he began to select his meal from the spread on the table.

"Hm, what do you want to talk about?" Lara asked, returning her attention to the food on her plate.

"My school."

"What about it?"

"Lara, if you would have ever actually gone to the school, instead of just running it into the ground, then you would have known that we're getting short on funding. My bank account is exhausted, and the sponsors that we have managed to get are getting scared. Especially since you foiled the top student's first mission, which would have probably gotten us tons more sponsorships."

"Yes, however, your school is none of my concern."

"Well, if things keep going the way that they have and you keep interfering with the student's missions, then you won't have anything to worry about, because the school will be bankrupt in under two months.

"That is still none of my concern."

"You're SUCH a humanitarian, Lara." Alex said, disdainfully.

"Alex, get to the point." Lara snapped.

"Alright, my point is, that if you were to, oh say, promote the school for a little while, nothing major, but may teach a class or two, then the sponsors we have still be happy and maybe some new ones will invest in the school."

"So you want _me_ to train them so _you  can send them to their deaths?"_

Alex groaned in frustration. "Listen to me, Lara, kids are going to Tomb Raider, with or without this school. If you keep up with the news, you'd know that just last week a group of Egyptian teenagers wandered into a tomb and were all killed by one of the booby traps. Now, since nothing can stop kids from tomb raiding, wouldn't you prefer that they had some training."

Lara nibbled on a large piece of broccoli that she had speared on her fork and thought for several seconds. Alex had presented a valid point. Lara hated when he did that.

"Well?" Alex asked, hopefully. "Will you at least tour the school and think about it?"

"No. I'm not convinced. Keep talking, Alex."

"You're impossible."

"Yes, I know." She shrugged. "By the by, there's something that I've been wondering."

"What?"

"Where did you get the money to start the school? It must have been very expensive and I don't think that even your bank account could have accommodated it."

"Long story." He responded, taking a sip of his champagne.

"I have all night." Lara commented.

"Look, I'd rather not talk about it. It's a little personal."

"Do you want me to tour your school or not?"

"Alright. Fine." Alex bit out. He said nothing and took another sip from his champagne glass, he appeared to be staring off into space.

"Well?" Lara asked. Her voice brought Alex back to reality.

"It was the money that my ex-wife left me." He finally said.

"You were married?" Lara asked, surprised.

"Yes. Once, when I was young and stupid."

"As opposed to you being old and stupid?" Lara asked.

"Do you want to hear this?"

"Fine. I apologize, now, please continue."

"It's not very interesting Lara. . ."

"Tell me anyways."

"Alright, have it your way. We met in college, fell in love, married right after we graduated, we moved to upstate New York and settled down. We lived together for about a whole year without any big problems."

"What broke up the marital bliss?"

"Well, my wife decided that she wanted to have a baby. I said that I wasn't ready for one yet and suggested that we wait a few more years until we were ready and financially stable and then have a baby. But she wanted one that second and she went behind my back and stopped taking her birth control. Then, a few months later she told me that she was already two months pregnant. I was furious, we had a huge fight and I ended up moving out for a month. She couldn't handle it at all and she ended up miscarrying. The doctor said it was due to extreme stress, so she blamed the bulk of the situation on me. Which was right, to a certain extent. Anyways, we went to counseling and whatnot, thought it would help. It actually kinda tore us further apart. So we filed for divorce and I moved to England."

"Then what happened?"

"She regretted the divorce after about a month and she would call me, bawling her eyes out asking me to come back. I gently told her 'no'. Then about two years after the divorce, I went to go visit her, out of some morbid curiosity."

"What was the visit like?"

"Well, she still had all our old pictures up, my rec room looked exactly the same and she even bought clothes in my size to fill my side of the closet. It was scary. Well, getting back to the point. About four years ago she committed suicide. It was on the anniversary of the day she miscarried. But her suicide note also seemed to legally double as a will and she left everything that she owned to me. As I found out, she had a secret bank account that she had opened before we were married which had more than enough money. Then I was able to start work on the school."

"So you've been planning this school for years? You never mentioned anything about it to me."

"I know, I was always working on it, but I wanted it to be a surprise for you, since I thought we were going to remain partners. But then there was the business with the prayer wheel and I wasn't sure if I was still going to go through with the idea, but by then it was too late to call it all off."

"And you don't regret opening the school?"

"Nope. I haven't been this happy in years. I've always liked teaching, I just wanted to be better paid than your average high school schmuck."

"Lovely." Lara commented.

"Hey Lara? Have you ever been married before?"

"No."

"I assume that you've been asked before."

"Well, yes. By you, for one."

Alex nodded. "How come you've never said yes?"

Lara shrugged. "I've never felt that someone was asking for my hand in marriage because they cared about me. I always get the feeling that men are only attracted to my money and my social position."

"Well, money and power are a turn on. But don't sell yourself short, honey, you have _really_ nice tits."

Lara turned pink and glared at Alex. "Is THAT why you proposed to me?"

"Part of the reason, if you want me to be brutally honest." Alex admitted. "But I also proposed to you because you're a wonderful, intellectually stimulating woman who I could love for all eternity."

"Hmm. . ." Lara gazed at him for a second, remembering that night and his hasty, badly articulated, proposal.

"Still with me, baby?"

"Don't call me 'baby'."

"Yes, darling."

"Don't call me that either."

"Of course, my lovely fire kitten."

"Alex, I'm not _your _anything." Lara reminded him.

"I know." Alex shrugged. "But I can dream, can't I?"

Lara shook her head.

"Anyways, we got off track, let me finish making my point about the school." Alex said, leaning closer to her. "If you could maybe, donate some money or sit in on a class or even teach a class, if you feel up to it. It would get me enough sponsors to keep the school running for a little while longer. Hopefully, until I can figure out a way to save the school. But, in the _very_ least, could you leave the kids to their missions and not interfere with them?"

Lara sat back in her chair and thought. "Well, I don't know."

"You don't have to decide now, Lara. In fact, if you want to stay the night, I can give you a full tour in the morning. You can meet the kids, sit in on the classes check out the assault courses and the training grounds. You can even eat in the cafeteria. Then you can see how this place is run."

"Hold on." Lara told him. "Stay the night here? _Here?_ With you?"

"I didn't mean _that_, Lara. Give me a little credit."

"For what?"

"Come on, when we were partners we slept side-by-side in ancient caves for months on end and I always minded my manors."

"Mostly because I slept with my hand on an automatic weapon."

"Well, there was that. But come on, you have my word. I'll be a total gentlemen. Besides, would I sexually assault you if I'm trying to get you to help me? It's in my best interest to keep you happy." He winked at her. "You're my new best friend."

"Well, I suppose. However, you have forgotten one keep detail in this conversation."

"What's that?"

"The Eye of Odin."

"I was just coming to that, Lara. Now, I have the Eye all nice and safe and I'll return it to you if you tour the school and keep an open mind. You don't have to give me any money or any help. Just tour the school."

"Just tour the school? That's it?" Lara asked, waiting for a hidden stipulation.

"That's it."

"You have to admit, that's too simple."

Alex blinked. "Well, I could hide the Eye somewhere on my body and have you search for it, if you want it to be a little more complicated." He smiled, wickedly.

"Er, I take it back."

"Oh wait, I know. We just built a new assault course. So far, no one, not even me, has been able to compete it. _If_ you complete it, then I'll return the Eye. If not, it'll be the first donation to the school's private collection."

"What is this course like?"

"Well, there's swinging blades that can slice you in half, pyrotechnics, real fire, trap doors, breakable slabs, razor-sharp spikes, flying targets _and_ the entire course is thirty feet above the ground, with no nice little landing pad if you fall off."

"Hmm, well. It might do." Lara said, mentally sizing up the course.

"Anything to satisfy." Alex smiled. "So, are you going to stay the night?"

"Yes. I will. And tomorrow I'll tour the school, beat your assault course and get the Eye back."

"Great." Alex smiled.

"Oh, Alex?" Lara asked, sliding closer to him and placing her hand on his thigh. "I still sleep with my hand on an automatic weapon." Lara then removed her hand from Alex's thigh and got up from the table.

"Yes, baby."


	3. Breakfast

Indy: Tis The Season is discontinued until I can figure out a decent ending for it. Which might take a while. But you never know. I did write a new ending for Sisterly Love.

Jennifer Jolie: Er, don't write in English class unless your teacher doesn't care. Mine couldn't care less, since I have a 99% in the class.

JooH & DarkeyedStranger: I still don't get all the Anti-Alex sentiment, but I'm not above having someone beat the crap out of him. Death seems a bit extreme though.

Lara awoke feeling refreshed and vibrant. She rolled over, wrapping herself in the clean sky blue sheets and breathed in the scent of wild flowers. The digital clock on the wooden nightstand beside the bed told her that it was almost nine. She wondered if Alex was going to wake her up himself or if she was supposed to met him downstairs for breakfast. Lara sat up and looked around the room. Her formal dress lay over the back of a chair by the matching wooden desk. She had discarded it last night, since she had no night clothes with her, she indulged in her latest habit of sleeping nude.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Lara looked up.

"You decent?" Alex asked through the door.

"Good morning to you too, Alex." Lara smirked. "And I'm afraid I'm not decent and my clothes are in the trunk of my car. Would you be a love and get them for me?"

"Do I get to keep a pair of your panties?"

"I don't think my knickers would fit you, Alex." Lara chuckled.

 Alex sighed. "I'll take that as a no."

"Very perceptive. Now, run along and grab the black bag in the trunk of my car." Lara paused. "Oh and that's the black bag _without_ the AK-47 sticking out of it." She added.

"Yes, dear. Do you want me to bake you a cake while I'm at it?"

"No thank you, I prefer eggs for breakfast."

***

By the time Alex had retrieved the bag from Lara's car, and rummaged through it, looking for an extra pair of her underwear and not finding any, Lara had already showered and combed through her waist length hair and styled it in its usual braid. Alex knocked on the door, half expecting Lara to answer it wearing nothing but her smile. She was not at all shy with her body and didn't care who knew it. Unfortunately for Alex, Lara had a towel tucked around her nude form as she took the duffle bag from him and murmured a quiet thanks. 

She closed the door and tossed her bag onto the bed. She unzipped and bag and sighed. Alex had obviously been rummaging through her things. The neatly packed clothing that Hillary had folded and carefully arranged himself, were strewn together. Lara dumped all of the bag's contents out onto the bed and selected her clothing.

Lara dressed quickly, wondering what the day would bring. Alex's school was a mystery for her. The media only reported on the screw ups and mishaps that happened at the school, never on the classes or instructors. But apparently, Alex had invited Lara's old nemesis, Von Croy, recently returned from the loony bin to be an instructor. However, he had declined the offer and even threatened Alex with bodily harm if he ever asked Von Croy about tomb raiding again. From the way Alex talked about his school, it sounded very successful. However, Alex's confidence would make a Westlife concert sound good.

Once Lara had dressed, she packed the duffle bag and gently folded her dress and tucked it inside. She ventured from the guest room that Alex had placed her in and wandered down to the dinning room. Alex was sitting there by himself, reading a news paper. He was already dressed in his normal, casual style, with his shirt buttoned this time. Alex looked up from the news paper and smiled at Lara.

"Good morning, sunshine." Alex said, he gently kissed her hand.

"My, aren't we being chivalrous, today?" Lara asked, sliding into the chair beside him.

"I thought it was a nice touch." He smiled. He glanced at his wrist watch. "Well, we better get over to the cafeteria if we want some breakfast."

"We're going to eat with the students?" Lara asked, genuinely surprised.

"Of course we are." Alex said, raising an eyebrow at her. "Don't worry, Lara. I recently taught them how to use forks." He finished, sarcastically.

***

The cafeteria was already filled with students by the time Alex and Lara arrived. Students, ranging from teens to people in their late twenties, were standing in line for food, seated at the long tables, talking, laughing, eating and gossiping. Lara looked around. Above all, the students seemed happy. A group of teenagers were playing poker at a table, one was desperately trying to keep a poker face.

"Right this way." Alex said, gesturing to a line for food and offering Lara his arm. Lara looked at Alex's arm, looked at him, then walked ahead and got into line. Alex laughed as her caught up with her.

"Well, Lady Croft," Alex smiled, he handed her a plate from the stack at the end of the table and took one for himself. "What would you like for breakfast? We have cereals, doughnuts, juice, coffee, tea, things like that. Then we have omelets that our lovely chefs make. That's in the other line. See, I warms things are on one side and cold things are on the other."

"I see." Lara said, she looked around, trying to decide which looked safer. "Hm, well, since your chefs have never ended up in the papers for poisoning anyone, I think I'll try an omelet."

"Your confidence in me is inspiring." Alex quipped. He took her hand and lead her to the line for omelets.

"Hey, Alex!" Alex looked up. A student pushed their way through the crowds and raced over to Alex.

"Hey Travis." Alex greeted. "Oh, I'd like you to meet Lady Lara Croft." Alex said, gesturing to his companion.

"Wow!" Travis's jaw fell. "THE Lady Lara Croft?" He asked, in an American accent.

"I wasn't aware they were two Lara Crofts." Lara said, honestly, wishing to God that this student would stop gawking at her.

"Well, Alex, I finally got the computer systems up and running on the secure server. Now all I need to do is move the website onto the new server and everything will be will fine."

"Great, good work Travis."

"Thanks Alex, I've got to go now, see you later! Bye Lara!" Travis ran off in the same direction that he had arrived. Lara glanced at Alex.

"How much caffeine does that man have a day?" She asked him.

"He drinks two pots of coffee, just to start the day." Alex said, shaking his head. "I told him that it'll stunt his growth, but he doesn't listen. . ."

"Alex? Sweetness, wake up!" Alex jumped and glanced in the direction of the call. He was the next in line for an omelet. The impatient and pregnant chef was holding her spatula in a menacing position.

"Right, sorry, Angie." Alex gestured for Lara to go in front of him. "Ladies first." He said, smiling. 

Lara cast him a weary look then approached the chef.

"Hello love, what would you like?" Angie asked.

Lara looked over the wide variety of choices for her omelet. "Hm, I'll keep it simple, how about bacon and cheese?"

"Sounds great." Angie pour some uncooked egg from a bowl into her small pan.

"Angie, how's the little one?" Alex asked.

"I think I got about ten minutes of sleep last night." Angie said, rolling her eyes. She glanced at Lara. "This baby _has_ to be a boy. I know a girl wouldn't be this much of a jerk."

Lara laughed. "How far along are you?"

"Seventh month. Only two more to go." She said. "Then I might be able to get a decent night's sleep."

"Wait until you have three AM wake up call." Alex smirked.

"Oh, I don't have to worry about that. I explained it to my husband, and since I've had nine months of discomfort, he has the first nine months of getting up to take care of the baby." Angie explained.

"Nice how she passes her pain on to others, eh?" A man carrying a tray off waffles and a small bowl of coffee creamer said, walking by.

"Who was that?" Lara asked, watching the man replace the empty tray of waffles and set the coffee creamer out next to a group of students that had been waiting.

"Richard. Angie's darling husband." Alex said, as Angie flipped Lara's omelet.

Richard walked past Angie, giving her a quick kiss on the lips and left again. "Next time bring some more eggs!" Angie called after him. She laughed. "Hectic life here." She told Lara. 

"But it's a great time." Alex added, winking at Lara.

"Well, I should say so, I got pregnant here." Angie laughed. "Good thing too. After both my husband and I got jobs here, we were finally able to afford a baby. We've wanted one since ever since we got married. All thanks to Mr. West." Angie said, winking at him.

Alex blushed. "Yeah, yeah, I think your estrogen levels are on the fritz again."

"So gentlemanly." Angie laughed, transferring the bacon and cheese omelet to Lara's plate.

"Why don't you find a seat, I'll be there in a second." Alex said.

"Hurry, go before I find those baby pictures Alex's mum left here!" Angie called.

"Baby pictures?" Lara laughed.

"Go, shoo." Alex said, pushing her towards the tables. He turned and glared at Angie. "Did you HAVE to bring up the baby pictures?"

"Of course. You were so adorable!" Angie laughed.

"Look, I'm trying to get her invest in the school, can you behavior yourself, _please_?"

"You're no fun, Alex." Angie said, playfully.

"And if you show Lara those baby pictures, I swear I'll make you clean the bathrooms in the dorms."

"Now that's just wrong, Alex." Angie gasped.

"Then behave yourself."

"Fine, fine. Now, you go get your investment. Good luck, Alex." Angie said, winking and handing Alex his plain omelet.

Alex sighed. He was going to need all the luck he could get.


	4. To Trust

"You never cease to amaze me, Lara Croft." Alex smirked. He gently placed his hand over Lara's. Lara glanced at him and smiled. The two were seated at Alex's dinning room table, enjoying another relaxing meal of Chinese food. It was about eight that night. Lara had already toured the school, which, much to her surprise, was a rather enjoyable endeavor and had beaten Alex's new assault course, much to Alex's chagrin. She was feeling quite pleased with herself when Alex suggested that they dine together again. As much as she hated to admit it, she hadn't had this much fun in months.

"Lara? You still with me?" Alex murmured, his gaze traveling over his companion's candle lit features.

"Yes, just thinking." Lara responded. She glanced at the table, where Alex had begun to weave his fingers in and out of hers.

"What are you thinking about?" _How much money you want to donate to the school? Alex thought, hopefully._

"How nice today has been." Lara said as Alex's hand left hers and lightly trailed up her arm.

_Getting warmer._ Alex thought. "I'm flattered, Lady Croft."

"You can call me Lara." She said.

"Well, Lara, what do you think of the school."

"Rather nice, actually. I was quite surprised."

"Don't lay it on too thick." Alex laughed. "I might get a big head."

"I'll make sure that doesn't happen." Lara laughed.

There were several seconds of silence as the two studied each other.

"Do you want to stay another night?" Alex finally murmured.

"Hm, I can't. Hillary is probably tearing his hair out, wondering where I am, right now. Besides, I don't think Angie would like having to wash out the sheets in the guest bedroom again." Lara commented.

Alex made a thoughtful sound as he gently brushed Lara's cheek with his fingertips. Lara felt her heart beat quicken as he trailed his fingers over her lips.

"You don't have to sleep in the guest bedroom." Alex murmured, softly.

"Are you suggesting that I sleep in your bed?" Lara asked, a playful smile curling her full lips.

"Why yes, I do believe I am." Alex responded.

"That's hardly appropr-" Lara was cut off as Alex pressed his lips to hers. Alex wrapped his arms around her, holding her fiercely, as he pulled Lara into his lap. Lara placed her hands on his muscular shoulders as she kissed him back. The two remained locked in the embrace for several seconds before they both pulled back.

"God, I've missed you." Alex murmured before kissing her again. Lara wrapped her arms around Alex's neck, brushing her fingers through his unruly hair. Alex gathered her tank top around her bust line, gently stroking her lower back.

"Wait!" Lara cried, quickly pulling back from the embrace.

"What?" Alex asked, his blue eyes lighting up in alarm.

"Alex, what do you miss about me?" Lara asked, noticing that he only said he did after they had started to become intimate. Although Lara might have felt lonely, she was hardly going to go to bed with a man who was just in love with her body.

"What do you mean?" Alex asked, looking a little flustered.

"You said that you missed me. I want to know what you missed about me."

"That could be a rather long list." Alex smirked. "But for starters, I missed your sense of humor and I missed telling you about my adventures as an adolescent, only to have you tell me that I still haven't grown up. I missed having tea with you and I missed talking to you for hours on end about nothing at all." Alex smiled warmly at her. "I missed holding you and waking up to your lovely face every morning. That's what I missed Lara, I missed _you. Because, I love you."_

Before Lara cold voice a response, Alex pressed another kiss to her lips. When they finally broke the kiss Lara gazed into his sincere eyes. A strange warmth filled her body. Her weakened resolve broke. 

"Take me to bed." Lara murmured.

"Yes, ma'm." Alex smirked. He picked Lara up and stood. Alex ascended a brief flight of stairs and walked down a large hallway to his bedroom, the door was slightly ajar, so he pushed it in with his foot and carefully stepped into the room. Alex deposited Lara onto the bed, then closed the door to his bedroom and locked it. "God, it's been too long." Alex murmured as he covered her body with his.

"Alex, I love you too." Lara whispered. Alex smiled at her, his features lit by only a pale moonlight that spilled though the small window above his bed. Alex gently pulled Lara's tank top over her head, carelessly tossing it onto the floor.

Their lips met once again as Lara began to slowly unbutton his starched shirt. Alex slid one of his hands over the curve of her right hip, remembering every aspect of her body.

"Alex?" Lara asked, running her fingers over his muscular chest.

"Hm?" Alex responded, cupping one of her breasts.

"Where is my Eye of Odin?"

Alex froze, then sat up. "Well, that just ruined the mood." He said, turning on a small lamp that was placed beside his bed.

"I'm sorry, Alex. But I would feel much safer knowing it was back in my possession." Lara confessed, sitting up beside him.

"Come on, I'll give it back to you in the morning." Alex said, his hand returning to her hip. "Let's see if we can get that mood back, shall we?"

"Alex, I want you to return it to me now." Lara responded.

"You're very demanding, you know?"

"Yes." Lara nodded. "Now, where is my Eye?"

"Well, I suppose I should be honest with you." Alex said, rubbing his chin. "I don't have it."

"You what?!" Lara shouted.

"Hey, hey, calm down, honey." Alex said, placing his hands on her arms.

"Where is the Eye?" Lara snapped, shaking his hands from her.

"I. . . uh. . . I sold it." Alex admitted.

Lara closed her eyes and sat froze in a mixture of shock and rage for several seconds.

"Uh, Lara?" Alex asked. "Are you alright?"

"Get away from me, Alex." Lara said, her eyes still closed.

"Would you let me explain first?"

Before Alex realized what was happening, Lara's fist connected with his nose.

"Ow, shit!" Alex swore as he fell out of the bed, holding his now bleeding nose.

Lara angrily grabbed her disregarded tank top and slipped into it.

"Lara, wait!" Alex said, struggling to his feet. He grabbed Lara's arm as her opposite hand touched the doorknob.

"I'm only going to warn you once, Alex." Lara said.

"Please, let me explain."

Lara's fist connected to his nose again, the second punch sent him reeling backwards. Alex landed on his backside as Lara unlocked the bedroom door and slipped out.

***

Lara pulled into the large garage of her manor, unbuckled her seatbelt and sat in her silver sports car, trying to clear her thoughts. How could she have been so stupid to have actually believed everything that Alex said? She knew that he couldn't be trusted, yet she had idiotically went along with him and even asked him to take her to bed.

Her cheeks flushed with humiliation. She had even told him that she loved him. Lara's right hand balled into a fist. She had never romantically told any man that. Now the first time she did, it happened to be to the lying scum, Alex West. 

"God, why am I so stupid!?" She shouted to herself, slamming her fist down on the steering wheel. Suddenly, Lara burst into tears. Alex had used her. Again. She had been naive enough to invest her feelings in her relationship with him and he had just used her feelings to hurt her. 

Lara buried her face in her hands and fully gave into her tears. She hated crying. Mostly because it accomplished nothing, but also because she was crying over someone who frankly wasn't worth her tears. Lara closed her eyes and sniffled.

Alex West was going to pay. Dearly. 


	5. All The Lonely People

Two months later. . . 

"Victoria!" Lara said, happily as she hugged her friend.

"Hello!" Victoria Beckham said, hugging Lara, then leading her into the sitting room of her house. Lara looked around at the immaculately clean house, then sat down on one of the familiar couches as Victoria carefully sat down in a straight backed chair.

"It's so nice you could stop by for tea." Victoria said. "I've been going batty being inside all the time."

"Why are you staying inside?" Lara asked, crossing her legs. Victoria had called earlier that day to invite Lara over for tea and a chat. Lara gratefully accepted, glad to finally have a female friend to talk to. 

"The bloody paparazzi, of course." Victoria said, rolling her eyes. "I don't know how you don't end up in the papers so much."

"The paparazzi and I have an agreement." Lara said, smiling secretively.

"What's that?"

"They don't take pictures of me, I don't use them for target practice. It's worked quite nicely."

Victoria laughed. "How ladylike."

"I thought so." Lara smiled. She looked around the house. "Where are the boys?"

"Oh, they're out at the football field. Male bonding, you know."

"Ah."

"So, how are you doing? I saw an article about Alex West's tomb raiding school in the papers a day or two ago. Are you still feuding with him?"

"Currently, yes."

"Still upset with him about the prayer wheels?"

Lara frowned. "No, I've move on from that. Now I'm upset that he sold my Eye of Odin."

"That prat!" Victoria gasped.

"My thoughts exactly. However, when I found about the Eye, I was in bed with him."

Victoria's eyes widened. "You didn't!"

"No. I didn't. We were about to."

"I thought you hated him."

"I do. I just. . . ." Lara trailed off.

"Ah, it's one of _those_ hate relationships." Victoria said, giving Lara a knowing smile.

Lara raised an eyebrow at her friend.

"Come off it, Lara, you know what I mean. You make the perfect couple. I think you could actually be quite happy together. If he stopped selling your things, that is."

"I don't understand him." Lara said, sighing in frustration. "For a while, I thought he had changed. I mean, I spent the entire day with him and he was so charming and funny and. . . and I honestly enjoyed myself. Everything was going so perfectly, we were having dinner, then he told me that he loved me."

"My, my, my. He finally used the 'L' word." Victoria smirked. "Congratulations, Lara. You're the first that I know of."

"But that doesn't make any sense. You don't love someone if you turn around and sell their artifacts to the highest bidder. Sometimes I think he cares about money more than actual people."

"Melanie C said that." Victoria said, thoughtfully. "She dated him for a while. Said he was a total wally."

"He is. He just happens to be a dead sexy wally. . ."

"Well, maybe if he sorts out his priorities. . ."

"I don't know, Victoria. I mean, this isn't the first time he's hurt me like this. I. . . I don't feel that I can trust him anymore. Even if he does change, I don't want to give him another chance to use me." Lara buried her face in her hands. She hated talking about her emotions.

"It's okay, Lara." Victoria said, comfortingly, placing her hand on Lara's shoulder. "There are plenty of other men in the world. I'm sure you can find a good one and stop worrying about Alex the prat."

"Thanks, Victoria." Lara said, smiling at her friend.

"No problem." Victoria winked.

"So how are things with you?" Lara asked.

"Good. Well, family life is good." Victoria patted her swelling stomach. "I'm due in September. I can hardly wait! I hope it's a girl this time. I would be nice for Brooklyn to have a little sister. Musically, not so good."

"What's wrong?"

"Virgin Records, that's what wrong. Bloody record company." Victoria glanced at Lara. "Have you ever thought about being a popstar?"

Lara laughed.

"No, no, I'm serious!" Victoria smiled. "You'd make a great popstar. I bet the lads would buy your singles just to look at the picture of you on the cover."

"Well, that might make up for the fact I can't sing." Lara laughed.

"Lack of singing ability never stopped a popstar!" Victoria declared.

Before Lara could answer, her cell phone rang. The girls stopped laughing as Lara pulled out her small cellular phone and pressed the 'talk' button.

"Hello?"

"Lara? It's Alex. We were supposed to met at the Ivy at noon. Did you forget?" An annoyed voice asked.

"I didn't forget. I just didn't go."

'Who is it?' Victoria mouthed.

'Alex.' Lara mouthed back.

"Look, do you want me to pick you up?"

"Not particularly."

"Lara, where the hell are you?"

"Beckingham Palace." Lara smirked.

"Where?!"

"Never mind. Look, I'm having tea right now. I'll met you at the Ivy at five, alright?"

"And how do I know that you're going to show up this time?"

"You don't. You're just going to have to come to the restaurant and see." Lara hung up.

"Did you stand him up?" Victoria asked.

"Well, yes." Lara said, looking a little embarrassed. Victoria gave her 'the look'. "But come on, he didn't say why he wanted to met me and after what he's done, he can deal with being stood up."

"And you wonder why you don't have a boyfriend." Victoria laughed.

Lara shrugged. "Besides, I'd much rather have a nice girly chat than listen to Alex whining about how we don't get long."

"Well, then let's go have a spot of tea and talk about men." Victoria said, getting up.

***

Lara walked into the manor from the garage door, hanging up her leather jacket and taking off her sunglasses. Hillary, carrying a tray filed with empty cups, crisp wrappers and various plates, walked into the kitchen. _Must be cleaning Bryce's computer area again._ Lara thought, with some amusement.

"Welcome home, Lara." Hillary said, placing the tray in the kitchen as Lara walked in. "How was tea with Victoria?"

"Wonderful." Lara said, opening the door to the refrigerator.

"Alex West called."

"Oh."

"Eight times. I had to give him the number to your cellular. I hope you don't mind."

"No, it's alright. He called me when I was at Victoria's."

"Didn't you have an appointment with him for lunch?"

"Yes. But I forgot I was meeting Victoria for tea. Besides, his ego could use a little deflating." Lara closed the fridge, then stretched. 

"Lara, what exactly is your relationship with Mr. West right now? I have an awful time keeping up with you too." Hillary admitted.

"Well, currently, I'm angry with him because he sold the Eye of Odin that I rightfully won back from him after he stole it from me." Lara explained, leaning against the counter.

Hillary sighed.

Lara glanced at her watch. "Well, I better get going if I want to get some sparring in before dinner. Come along, Hillary."

***

Lara stood at the front of the Ivy and looked over the restaurant. She spotted Alex, sitting by himself in a corner of the room, stirring a cup of coffee. He was dressed in his normal outfit of jeans and a white button down shirt. His hair was mussed, although, from where Lara was standing, he looked much older than he was.

"Miss? Table for one?" A waiter asked, snapping Lara from her thoughts.

"Oh, no, I'm with him." Lara said, gesturing towards Alex.

"Ah, right this way then." The waiter lead her to where Alex was sitting and set a menu on the table. Alex rose and helped Lara into her chair. The waiter raised his eyebrow at the two, then pulled out a note pad.

"What would you like to drink, miss?" He asked, politely.

"Cosmopolitan, please." Lara said, after looking over the drink menu.

"Certainly." The waiter scribbled down Lara's order then walked off. Lara opened the menu and began to look over the entrées. She glanced at Alex.

"Well?" She asked, briefly taking her eyes off of the menu. "You asked me to come here. Now what do you want?"

"Oh nothing. Just wanted to bask in the glow of your heavenly light." Alex said, propping his elbows up on the table and starring at her.

Lara shrugged. "Well, you are buying me dinner. So bask all you like."

"Look Lara. I'm not exactly in the best of moods here."

"How's that my problem?"

"Well, first of all, I asked you to met me here for a serious meeting. I wait for two hours, then find out that you're having tea with Baby Spice-"

"Posh Spice." Lara corrected. "Emma Bunton is Baby Spice."

"Whatever!" Alex said, sharply. "Lara, this is very important."

"Then stop whining about you day and tell me why the hell I'm here."

"Well, first, I have something for you." Alex said, reaching into his small backpack that lay beside the table.

"Aww, it's not even my birthday." Lara said, mockingly.

"Here." Alex glowered, setting the Eye of Odin on the table in front of Lara. The female tomb raider raised an eyebrow.

"Was this one made in Hong Kong too?" She asked, not giving the Eye a second glance.

"It's the original." Alex said. "I bought I back from the guy I sold it too. . . For three times the cost. . . Lara, I never would have sold it in the first place, if I knew how much it meant to you."

Lara shrugged. "It's just an artifact. It wasn't that important to me, anyways."

"Then why did you break my nose over it?" Alex said, touching his still healing nose.

"I'm not sure." Lara said sarcastically. "Maybe because you lied to me, used me, sold my artifact, told me you loved me, then attempted to sleep with me."

"I wasn't lying when I said that I loved you." Alex said, quietly.

"I find that hard to believe, seeing as just about everything else you've ever told me was a lie." Lara said, harshly.

"Look, I didn't come here to bicker with you about the past, okay?"

"Yes. You'd lose."

"Goddamn it, Lara!"

"Don't raise your voice to me, Alex."

"Lara, look, I love you."

"Don't start up again." Lara said, rolling her eyes.

"You don't have to believe me and I really don't expect you to, but it's true. I love you, Lara Croft. I always have."

Lara slammed her menu down on the table. "If you don't tell me why the hell I'm here, I'm going leave and go have dinner with Atomic Kitten."

"Fine." Alex muttered. "I'm here because I need your help."

Lara gave him an odd look and watched as he blushed.

"You want money, I suppose." Lara stated.

"Yes, actually. After you interfered in another one of my student's missions, my sponsors backed out. Coupled with the fact that my brother and my sister-in-law recently died in a car crash and my parents are expecting me to foot the bill for the funeral. So, if I don't get another sponsor, or a very generous donation by tomorrow, I'm going to have to close the school."

"Then close it."

"Lara!"

"I'm not giving you anything, Alex West."

"Please, Lara, I wouldn't be asking you if I wasn't desperate."

"You've always been desperate, Alex."

"Lara, I'm sorry about our past, but there's nothing I can do about it now, you can't hold that against me."

"Actually, I can and I will." Lara smiled sweetly.

"Oh really, well, now what is Angie going to do? Huh? She just had her baby last week."

"How lovely, boy or girl?"

"Boy, but think about it, Lara. How are they going to support themselves. They've got no job training and they'll never make enough money to support both of them and a new born baby."

"Well, it's a harsh, cruel world, Alex." Lara said, trying to sound unremorseful, even though she did feel bad for Angie and her husband.

"This coming from someone who has her own butler." Alex snapped.

"What are you on about now?"

"You're a pampered brat, Lara. And I seriously thought that maybe, just maybe, you could actually care about someone other than yourself for a change, but I guess that was asking too much, wasn't it?"

"And are you in love with me now, Alex?" Lara asked.

"Go to hell, Lara." Alex snapped. He got up from the table and stormed out of the restaurant, shoving past several of the guests. 

Lara shook her head and looked back at the Eye that was laying on the table. She carefully picked it up and flipped it over. There was no 'Made In Hong Kong' stick on the back of the artifact. Instead a scrap of paper was taped to the back. Lara slowly pealed it off, then unfolded the scrap. There was a small paragraph in a practically illegible crawl written across the bottom of the paper.

Eleanor Rigby, picks up the rice, In the church, where a wedding has been 

_Lives in a dream_

_All the lonely people,_

_Where do they all come from?_

_All the lonely people,_

_Where do they all belong?_

Lara folded the piece of paper back up and reattached it to the Eye. Then left the Eye on the table and walked out of the restaurant.


	6. Kyra

Okey, here's a rather long chapter. I also too a bit of poetic license relating to Lord Croft's death. I was a bit confused since the movie showed him being shot by Powel, but his gravestone said "Missing in the field" or something of that nature.

"Lara! Lara, wake up!" Hillary took Lara by her shoulders and gently shook her. "Lara?" The sleepy tomb raider rubbed her eyes, then slowly opened them.

"What's wrong?" She asked, sitting up in bed and stretching.

"Look at this!" Hillary shoved a tabloid newspaper at her. Lara brushed a hand through her long, tangled hair and looked over the front page of the newspaper.

ALEX WEST CLOSES THE SCHOOL OF TOMB RAIDING!

The headline screamed. Lara shrugged, then handed the newspaper back to Hillary.

"Yes, I know." She responded.

Hillary sat down on the edge of her bed and set the newspaper on her nightstand.

"I don't suppose that you have anything to do with the school closing, do you?" He asked.

"Well, Alex did tell me two days ago that if I didn't donate anything to his school that he would be forced to close it. Oh, and I interfered in his student's missions and scared off his sponsors. So yes, I guess I do have something to do with the school closing."

"Why?"

"Why do you think?" Lara snapped, narrowing her eyes. "He used me again. What he did was completely inexcusable and just having his school closed is being very lenient on my part."

"Lara, I think you missed the big picture." Hillary said.

"Oh really, and what is the 'big picture'?" Lara asked, bring her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around herself. She was becoming sick of people telling her that she was wrong.

"Closing the school didn't just affect Alex. By letting the school close you've put nearly one hundred people out of a job, the students have no choice but to go back to living on the streets and breaking the law again. Lara, I can understand that you wanted to get even with Alex, but this is not the way to do it."

Lara glanced out of her bedroom window and thought for several seconds. Hillary did have a point. Not to mention that Angie and her husband were also out of a job. Lara pushed her bangs back from her forehead.

"Alright. You have a point." Lara acknowledged.

"So are you going to help Alex?"

"After being such a bitch to him two days ago I don't think turning around and offering him enough money to get the school up and running again would make a lot of sense."

"Well, it's your choice, of course. But there's no sense in hurting people that have nothing to do with the situation." Hillary stood. "Until you decide, what would you like for breakfast?"

***

Lara twisted the phone cord around her fingers as she listened to the phone ringing on the other end of the line. Lara paced the length of her bedroom as the ringing continued. She was just about to hang up when a tired voice finally picked up.

"What do you want?" The voice yawned.

"Alex? It's Lara." She said, sitting down at her desk.

"Oh. Hi. What do you want?" Alex asked, slowly.

"Uh, how are you?" Lara blurted out. She had decided to give Alex enough money and help him secure enough sponsors to reopen the school and keep it running, but suddenly, she had lost her nerve.

"I have a hangover." Alex said, flatly. "And I have to get back into the states for my brother's funeral today."

"Oh, my condolences for your bother."

"Yeah. Listen Lara, you didn't call me to talk about my brother. What do you want?"

"Look, I'm sorry that I forced you to close the school down." Lara breathed deeply. _There. That wasn't so hard._ She thought.

"Okay. . ." Alex said, after several seconds of uneasy silence had transpired between the two. "Anything else?"

"I'll help you reopen the school." Lara added, softly.

"You'll what?" Alex asked.

"I'll help you reopen the school." Lara repeated. "And I'll make sure you can keep it open."

"Why the sudden change of heart."

"Well, I realized that there are much more effective ways of getting back at you other than closing the school."

"You already broke my nose, Lara, let's call it even, eh?"

"I don't think a broken nose is sufficient punishment for what you did."

"What do you want? My head?"

"Which one?"

There were several seconds of silence. "Lara! You try and I'm going to get a restraining order against you!"

"Awww, poor little Alex can't even protect himself from a girl." Lara mocked.

"_You_ are no mere girl, Lara Croft."

"Of course."

"Anyways, give me a while to sober up and I'll get to work on the school. Actually, do you want to come over and give me a hand? There's lots of paper work to do."

"What about that funeral?"

"I don't have to be there for another couple hours."

"How about you write a press release and I'll see what I need to do to get everything running smoothly again, while you go to the funeral?"

"Okay, that sounds better. You know, it's almost like we're partners again."

"We can be business partners, Alex. Nothing more."

"Hm, better than nothing, I guess. Well, I better get going then."

"Yes, me too."

"I'll talk to you later."

"Bye."

Lara hung up the phone and looked around her bedroom.

"I guess I better get dressed then." Lara said aloud.

***

One month later. . .

"Lara, you look gorgeous." Alex said, kissing her hand and leading the tomb raider into the ballroom in the main building of the school.

"Why thank you, Alex. You're looking rather handsome yourself." Lara said, smiling warmly at him. It was the celebration of the first artifact found by a student of the School of Tomb Raiding. 

With Lara's help Alex had managed to get more and much better sponsors for the school and had even improved the school. The students were glad to be back in the school, Angie and Richard were overjoyed to have their old job again and even asked Lara to be their son's Godmother. Lara had even started teaching a class in Egyptian history and much to her surprise, loved every second of it. Alex and Lara had become a lot closer, mostly due to their work together for the school. But Lara was still keeping him at arm's length, as she liked to put it. 

"Is Joey nervous about his speech?" Lara asked as Alex escorted her into the ballroom.

"Sure is." Alex sighed. Joey was the student who had recovered the school's first artifact, the helmet of Alexander the Great. Alex had asked him to make a speech for the party, but the young man would rather run from moss covered boulders and dodge poison darts than speak in front of a large group of people.

"Hm, I'll talk to him later." Lara said. "Try and calm him down."

"Thanks." Alex murmured. "My pep talks suck."

"So," Lara looked around the ballroom, which was filled with important people, all talking and laughing and admiring the artifact. "How are _you_ feeling?" 

"Pretty good." Alex said. "Much better after I saw how lovely you look tonight." He admitted, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Lara gently took his hands from her waist and smirked at him. "Don't get too friendly, Mr. West."

"Right. Er, sorry." Alex murmured. "Oh, Lara, there's something I need to tell you about."

"What?" Lara asked, concern in her eyes.

"Well, there's someone that I want you to meet." He said.

The first thing that flashed across Lara's mind was a new girlfriend, or maybe one of his family members had come for a visit. But before Alex could tell her who the person was, Joey came over and tapped Alex on the shoulder.

"Hi, uh, can we talk?" Joey asked, nervously. He was obviously sweating and kept tugging at his bow tie, as if it was going to strangle him.

"Er, okay. I'll be back in a second, Lara." Alex said, before guiding Joey over to a corner of the ballroom. Lara sighed.

"Punch?" Lara jumped. She turned to see Bryce, offering her a friendly drink.

"Thank you." Lara said, accepting the beverage and taking a sip. "So how are you enjoying the school?"

"Champion!" Bryce said, enthusiastically. "Their tech people are wonderful, not to mention their equipment is state of the art."

"Nice to see you enjoying yourself. By the by, where's Hillary?" She asked, looking around for her butler.

"He's in the kitchen, I believe. He said something about the caterers not knowing how to make proper something or other. I wasn't paying much attention." He admitted.

Lara chuckled. "Once a butler, always a butler."

"Oh, there's Karen." Bryce said, waving to a teenager who had just entered the building. "She's the local fiber optics expert. I've been meaning to talk to her about a few things. I'll see you later, Lara."

"Bye Bryce."

Lara watched Bryce walk away and took another sip of her drink. She glanced at Alex and Joey, we were still talking in the corner of the ballroom. Lara set her drink down on a nearby table and gracefully sat down on one of the chairs that were positioned around the table. She smoothed out the fabric of her red formal dress and was about to take another sip from her glass of punch when she heard a soft sound. She listened closely and realized that it was sobbing. Quizzically, Lara lifted the floor length, silk tablecloth and discovered a small child sitting cross-legged at the opposite end, crying into her hands.

Out of a mixture of curiosity and pity, Lara got down on her hands and knees, ignoring the fact that she was wearing a three hundred pound dress, and crawled under the table. The little girl looked up, her eyes were bright blue and strangely looked like Alex's, her light brown hair was tangled, she was wearing a rather adorable flowered dress..

"W-who are you?" She asked, sniffling then setting her lips in her a firm line.

"My name is Lara." The tomb raider said, gently. "What's your name?"

"Kyra." The little girl sniffed.

"That's a lovely name. It's very nice to meet you, Kyra." Lara said, extending her hand to the child. Kyra slowly reached out her hand, then shook hands with Lara. Her hand was still damp with her tears. Lara opened her purse and took out a small white handkerchief. She gently wiped the tears from Kyra's face.

"Where are your parents?" Lara asked, figuring that she was the daughter of one of the guests.

"M-my parents are in heaven." Kyra told Lara, her eyes filling with tears again.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Lara murmured, softly. "My parents are in heaven too." 

"They are?" Kyra asked.

"Uh huh, I have a picture of them." Lara said, returning the handkerchief to her purse and pulling out a small silver locket that she always had with her. Lara opened the locket and showed the two small, black and white photograph clippings to Kyra.

"Did they die in a car crash too?" Kyra asked, looking over the pictures.

"No, my mother died of cancer when I was still a baby. My father died when I was a teenager." Talking of her parents gave Lara a slight twinge of sorrowfulness.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Kyra said, rubbing her nose and sniffling again.

"Who are you here with?" Lara questioned, gently smoothing the child's hair.

"Uncle Alex." The girl answered.

"Alex West?" Lara asked in surprise.

Kyra nodded.

_Since when has Alex had a niece?_ She wondered.

"How long have you been in England?" Lara asked her.

"Two days." Kyra said, her eyes filling with tears. "I had to come live with Uncle Alex because no one else wanted me." She began to cry again, sobbing into her recently dried hands.

Lara picked the little girl up and cradled her on her lap. She gently smoothed her hair as Kyra buried her face in Lara's neck and continued to sob.

"Shh, that's not true, Kyra." Lara soothed. "And don't worry, you'll love it here in England and Alex will take very good care of you." _If he doesn't he'll have to answer to me. . . _Lara continued mentally.

"But I wanna go h-home." Kyra sobbed. "And I miss my mommy and daddy."

"I know you do, it's very hard to lose someone you're so close to." Lara said, remembering when Hillary told her that her father's body had been found, already decaying in India. Lara hadn't even been told that her father was missing. Hillary had thought it best to remain optimistic when Richard Croft disappeared and told Lara that her father's trip was just taking longer than expected, hoping that Lord Croft would turn up like he always did and everything would be fine.

Lara held Kyra tightly as she remembered going to her father's funeral. She hadn't even gotten into the church before she started sobbing. Lara had been so overcome with grief that she locked herself in her room and refused to come out for a full week. She had been angry with Hillary for not telling her about her father's disappearance, angry at her grandmother, her only living relative now, who had not bothered to attend the funeral of her only child, angry with whomever had killed her father and angry at the fact that she would never be able to see him again.

A tear silently rolled down Lara's cheek. Kyra looked up and noticed that Lara was crying as well.

"Do you still miss your parents?" Kyra sniffled.

"Yes, a great deal." Lara said, wiping the tear from her cheek. "But your mum and dad wouldn't want to see you crying like this, now would they?"

Kyra shook her head.

"Mine wouldn't either." Lara added, picking up her purse and gently wiping the tears from Kyra's face again with her handkerchief. "Now, let's not spend the rest of this lovely party sitting under a table, okay?"

"Okay." Kyra sniffled.

Kyra slowly crawled out from under the table, then held up the table cloth so Lara could crawl out. Lara stood and dusted off her skirt. She glanced around the ballroom and saw Hillary coming towards her.

"There's Uncle Alex." Kyra said, pointing toward her uncle who was talking to the representative of one of their sponsors by the buffet.

"Lara!" Hillary said, happily extending a silver platter containing twelve puffs. "Look, I just got the first batch done. I can't believe how incompetent the caterers I hired were. They cooked the curry puffs for five minutes instead of fifteen. Here, try one of these, tell me how it tastes." 

Lara took a curry puff from the platter and took a bite. "Hmm, very good." Lara said after she had swallowed her food.

"May I have one?" Kyra asked, giving Lara's skirt a slight tug.

"Certainly, young lady." Hillary said, happily. He leaned over and extended the plate to Kyra. "Be careful, though. They're spicy."

"Okay." Kyra said, gingerly taking the largest puff and popping it into her mouth. "Tasty." Kyra told Hillary.

"Thank you, young lady, but please don't talk with your mouth full." Hillary corrected.

"Lara, I was just about to see you, then Granger cornered me and started talking about the new computer we're testing for him." Alex said, coming from out of nowhere, as he usually did, and placing his hand on Lara's waist.

"Nice to see you managed to tear yourself away." Lara smirked. Granger could probably bore a person into any form of submission, Alex always joked that he would make an excellent secret weapon for England if there's ever a war.

"Yes, I was going to introduce you to-"

"Ooo! That's hot!" Kyra said, cutting off her uncle as she finally reached the spice in the puff.

Alex blinked at the child. "Kyra." He finished.

"Yes, we've met." Lara informed him. "Uh, Hillary, why don't you take Kyra for some punch?" She asked, glancing at her butler.

"Er, I wouldn't suggest that." Alex said. "It's been spiked." He whispered to Lara.

"Oh dear. Well, Hillary, I'm sure you could make something for Kyra in the kitchen." Lara said.

"Why certainly, ma'm. Come along, Kyra, I'll show you the kitchens and see if we can't whip up something to cut the taste of that curry puff." Hillary said, taking the girl's hand and leading her towards the kitchens.

"Isn't Hillary a girl's name?" Kyra asked, just before the two were out of ear shot.

Lara turned back to Alex and cocked her head at him. "Alex, why didn't you tell me about her?" She asked.

"Well, I tried, but with the party and everything going on, I didn't have time." Alex said, sheepishly. "Not to mention that the kid's barely stopped crying since I brought her here."

"What did you expect, Alex? She's just lost her parents and she's an ocean away from home. How did you end up with her, anyways?"

"My sister was supposed to be taking care of her. But then she found out that being a mother wasn't all warm fuzzy feelings and she promptly dumped Kyra at my parent's house. Then _they_ had a fit and in the end, I was the last relative who could take her."

"Alex, you don't know a thing about parenting, how exactly did you think that you were going to take care of her?"

"Hey, would you prefer me dropping her off at an orphanage and seeing what kind of pervert picks her up?" Alex demanded, defensively.

"Alright, point taken, but still."

"Don't give me the third degree, Lara, I'm doing the best that I can, okay?"

"Alright, Alex. Fair enough."

"Where was she anyways? I was beginning to get worried."

"She was sitting under the table, crying her eyes out."

"You got her to stop crying?" Alex asked, in shook.

"Yes, it wasn't that difficult." Lara said, innocently. "Are you still going to teach, now that you're taking care of Kyra?"

"Yeah, just not as much." Alex shrugged. "Besides, it's almost time for the school to close for the summer."

"What are you going to do next year?"

"Well, Kyra will be starting school next year, so that shouldn't be a problem."

"Alex, are you sure that you taking in Kyra was a good idea?"

"Not entirely. But, let's just see how it works, okay?"

"Don't you think she needs a mother, Alex?"

"Are you volunteering?" Alex smirked.

"No. I simply want to know what you think."

"Well, yeah, she needs a mom, but I've still got to find one. And I'm not marrying someone just so Kyra has a mother, so don't try to hook me up with any of your friends."

"Oh darn, and Emma Bunton recently broke up with her boyfriend too. . ." Lara said, sarcastically.

"Very funny." Alex said, giving her a look.

"Lara, Lara, look!" Lara turned to see Hillary and Kyra, who was holding a large plastic mug with a long straw sticking out of the top, approaching Alex and Lara. "Hillary made me a smoothie!" She said, happily.

"Wonderful. What flavor?" Lara asked, helping the little girl into a chair.

"Strawberry." Kyra beamed. "My favorite." Lara slid into the chair across from her still smiling.

"Yes and you wouldn't believe what those caterers did to the Hawaiian Shrimp Rolls." Hillary told Alex.

"I'm sure I won't Hillary." Alex agreed.

***

Kyra yawned and rested her head on Lara's neck. "What time is it?" Kyra asked in a sleepy voice.

Lara glanced at her wrist watch. "Well, it is way past your bedtime." Lara acknowledged. Kyra had made her way back to Lara after the tomb raider had talked to all of the guests and had said a few words about the school before Joey made his speech. Lara and Kyra talked for the rest of the night, Kyra finally became sleepy and was resting her head on Lara's shoulder.

"Will you tuck me in?" Kyra asked, not lifting her head from Lara's shoulder.

Lara looked around at the room of assorted guests, the majority of which were students in the school.

"Well, I'll have to ask your uncle first." Lara told her.

"Okay." Kyra said, yawning again.

Speaking of the devil, Alex wandered over to the table and raised an eyebrow at Kyra.

"Is she asleep?" He asked Lara.

"Not yet." Lara told him. "But very close." She added. "She asked me to tuck her in, do you mind?"

"Nah, go ahead." Alex dug in his pocket and produced a house key. "I'll be over soon. See you in a few."

"Bye, Alex."

"Night, Kyra." Alex said, affectionately touching Kyra's hair.

"Night, Uncle Alex." Kyra murmured.

***

Lara helped Kyra into a night gown, made sure she brushed her teeth and tucked her into the cot she was sleeping on in her bedroom. The room was full of untouched boxes, which no doubt, contained her things. Lara wondered when Alex was going to get her a proper bed.

"Will you read me a story?" Kyra asked, hopefully.

Lara glanced at her watch. "Sure. But only a short one."

"Goodie," Kyra sat up. "My story books are in that box." Kyra said, indicating the box she was talking about.

Lara opened the beat up cardboard box and selected a thin story book. She glanced at the cover. 

Disney's The Little Mermaid

"Okay, here's one of my favorite stories." Lara said, sitting down on the floor beside the low cot and opened the story book. Kyra settled down in the cot as Lara started to read, but before Lara was a quarter of the way through the story, Kyra was sound asleep. Lara closed the book and smiled at the girl. "We'll finish the story later." She promised, before gently kissing Kyra's forehead and standing. Lara replaced the children's book in the cardboard box and left Kyra's bedroom, leaving the door open a crack. Lara descended the stairs to find Alex just opening the front door.

"Hello there." He smiled. "That was a very successful party, all due to my lovely business partner." Alex took Lara's hand and gently kissed it.

"By now, I'm immune to your charms, Mr. West." Lara smirked.

"Aw, too bad. I felt like I was on a roll too. So, is Kyra sleeping?" He asked.

"Yes." Lara nodded. She glanced at her watch, it was nearly one in the morning. "I had better be going." She said, softly.

"Can I kiss you goodnight?" Alex asked, innocently.

"No, Alex." By Lara's look, he knew she didn't appreciate his joke. "We're only business partners. Nothing more."

"But Lara, you can't deny that there's some chemistry between us."

"No, I can't." Lara admitted. "But I refuse to act on it, Alex."

"Lara, I'm sorry about what happened in the past, but you can't expect me to do anything about it now." Alex sighed. 

"No, I can't. But there have been too many second chances. Too many fights."

"I know and I'm sorry Lara. But please-" His arms touched hers, their bodies were only a breath apart.

"No." Lara said, sharply cutting Alex off. Alex stepped away from the tomb raider.

"Sorry, Lara. I think I've had too much to drink." Alex said, running a hand through his hair. "You better get home, it's late."

"Goodnight, Alex." Lara said, nodding at him.

"Night, Lara."

Lara left, gently closing the door behind herself.

"I love you." Alex murmured.


	7. Paintball

"Good morning to my favorite tomb raider." Alex asked, sneaking up behind Lara and slipping his arms around her waist. He gently nuzzled her neck and sighed, happily. Lara ignored him and continued to organize the papers that she had been trying to file for the past hour.

"I had the most amazing dream about you last night." Alex murmured.

"Right. Now, where are the new applications we received? I tried to locate them on that landfill that you like to refer to as your desk, but I couldn't find them." Lara said. 

"But don't you want to hear about my dream?" Alex asked.

"No, not particularly. However, I have a feeling that you're going to tell me anyways."

"Exactly right. I dreamt that we made love in the shower. The entire thing was utterly fantastic." Alex murmured, sliding his hand under Lara's tank top and placing it on her stomach. "You screamed my name at the top of your lungs. We made love for hours and hours. . ."

"And used up all the hot water? How inconsiderate of us." Lara stated.

"I still love you." Alex murmured, kissing her neck.

"Alex, I suggest you remove your hands from me if you would like to leave here with them still attached to your wrists."

"Ah." Alex did as Lara suggested. "I knew that was coming."

"Yes, so, where are the applications?" Lara asked, turning to face her business partner. She looked around for a second. "And where is Kyra?"

"Kyra is out with Melissa and her friends. They wanted to take her shopping. As for the applications, they're back at the house. You could come along, maybe take a look at the shower."

"Alex, you _have_ heard about sexual harassment in the work place, haven't you?" Lara asked, giving him a look and crossing her arms over her chest.

"Lara, I love you. You can't expect me to hide it."

"Yes, I can. And I would also appreciate it if you could keep your hormones under control. Now, that wouldn't be too difficult, would it?"

"Yes, it would. Come on, Lara, don't be a prude."

"Alex West, you are contemptible."

"Why, thank you." Alex smiled. "I try."

"Now, I would like to get some work done today, so do you want to go fetch the applications, or should I?"

"I'll get them." Alex sighed. "Oh, by the way, my partner for the tactical maneuvers and stealth class called in sick. Wanna fill in for him?"

Lara raised an eyebrow. "Stealth?" She asked. "What kind of class is that?"

"Well, we're going to play paintball." Alex said, sheepishly scratching the back of his head.

"Paintball?"

"Yeah, you know, the game with the paint ball pellets."

"Yes, I know what you're talking about, I _don't know what that has to do with tomb raiding though."_

"Well, there's a very faint link. Besides, the kids just spent their weekend working on a paper, so I figured they deserved a break."

"Alright, when is the class?"

"At three, in the big tree in the woods."

Lara sighed. "Do I need to bring my own gun?"

"Nah, we have plenty. Oh, you might want to wear a jump suit. In case you get shot, the paint might ruin your clothes."

"Really now, Alex, I don't intend to be shot." Lara smiled sweetly before she walked away. 

***

"Lara! Over here!" Lara looked up and saw Alex West's camouflaged form waving to her from beyond the trees. Lara waved to him in acknowledgement and strolled into the underbrush as she looked over her outfit. All she could find on short notice was a light gray jumpsuit that she normally used for caving.

Lara ran a hand over her braided her hair as she lifted a tree branch and walked under it. As she stepped from the underbrush she walked into a large clearing, where Alex and his students were assembled. The students were dressed in various outfits and were all carrying large black guns.

"Here ya go, honey." Alex said, handing the female tomb raider her own gun. Lara accepted the gun from him and looked it over, quickly. "Okay," Alex said, as he turned back to the group. "Is everyone here?"

There was a chorus of 'yeah's' from the group.

"Great. Let's get started then. I've already separated you into teams, so Alpha team, you're with me. Beta team, you're with Lara." Alex informed the group. "The rules are as follows; you are not allowed to shot anyone in the face. If this happens, even if it's by accident, which it shouldn't be because I've trained you myself, then you will be disqualified automatically and will be cleaning the bathrooms in the dorms for the next week. Understood?"

There was another chorus of agreement amongst the group as Lara shifted her weight to her opposite foot.

"Next, if you are hit, you are out of the game. No exceptions. You will return to this area and sit for the rest of the game. The object of the game is to be the last one to be shot. To do this, the members of the team need to work together. Any questions?"

A male student raised his hand.

"Yes, Trevor." Alex said.

"What does the winning team get?" He asked.

"The people who are not shot during the game will get a steak dinner on me."

There was a happy murmur from the crowd. Lara raised an eyebrow at Alex but didn't question the statement.

"Any more questions?" Alex asked.

No one spoke or raised their hands.

"Okay, let's spread out. Lara's team gets a five minute head start into the woods." Alex glanced at his watch. "Ready. . . . Begin!"

Lara shrugged. "Alright, let's go." She said, waving to her team and stepping into the woods.

"Hey, don't run off too fast now." Alex smirked. "We might not be able to catch you at that pace."

"You couldn't catch us even if we crawled." Lara shot back as she disappeared with her team.

The group walked several yards into the thick underbrush in silence. Lara had never been so far into the woods around the school. She wondered how far they could go without getting lost.

"Hey, Lara?" One of the girls on Lara's team whispered.

"Yes?" Lara whispered back.

"Do we have a plan, or anything like that?"

"No, not really. Why? Are we supposed to have one?"

"Would be nice." A teenage boy muttered.

"Okay, then." Lara said. "Here's the plan; don't get shot." To be honest, Lara was unaccustomed to working with partners and even more unaccustomed to dealing with teenagers.

"Should we spread out now?" The girl whispered after the group had gone several more yards.

"Yes. I'll see you all later." Lara said as she began to move towards the outskirts of the woods. "Hopefully." She added to herself.

***

Alex studied the woods underneath him from where he sat, perched on a large tree branch high above the forest floor. He had sent his team out in twos and told them to go after the less athletic students first. He told them not to go after Lara. She was a prize that Alex wanted to capture all by himself. Alex smiled, happily and leaned back against the tree, thinking about Lara.

He was about to revive the scenes of his shower dream when he heard a soft noise from below. He glanced down and saw Lara, completely unaware of his presences, softly stepping around a dead log that lay in her path. Alex's eyes lit up. He watched her walk past him, then slowly and quietly began to descend the tree. He moved swiftly and hopped onto the forest floor. Alex followed the tomb raider and just when Lara was few yards from him, he pulled his paint ball gun from where he had secured it from behind his back. He slid behind the trunk of a large tree, making sure that Lara didn't see him.

Then he slipped from behind the tree and began to follow the tomb raider. Alex had followed Lara for no more than ten yards when, so engrossed in his tracking her, that he ignored the ground beneath his feet. There was a rather loud snap as Alex stepped on a dead tree branch.

Lara whirled around, Alex swore and leapt at her. He tackled Lara, knocking her to the ground. Lara screamed in surprise. Alex landed on top of Lara and knocked her paint pellet gun out of her hand.

"Alex! What the hell are you doing?!" Lara shouted and began to struggle with him.

"Winning!" Alex shouted, trying to catch Lara's wrists. 

"This is NOT how you play paintball!" Lara shouted back.

Alex was about to answer her, when he captured her other wrist and pinned her against the ground. Lara suddenly stopped struggling, a dark blush rising in her cheeks.

"Alex, let me go." She said. She could already feel his erection, swelling against her thigh, and was too mortified to pretend that he wasn't aroused.

"Lara, I love you." He murmured, gently nuzzling her neck.

"I told you 'no' already, now let me up."

"I can't keep doing this, Lara. I want you. All of you."

"Don't." She murmured, to no effect as Alex clasped both her wrists with one of his hands, leaving the other hand free to explore her body. Lara moaned softly as their lips met.

She was so lost in Alex's touch that she didn't notice the feel of cold metal against her thigh. However, she was rudely brought back to reality when she heard the soft sound of a paintball gun and felt a pellet connect with her upper thigh. Lara gritted her teeth against the stinging and looked down, incomprehensibly at the red paint that was spreading on her jumpsuit. 

"Alex?" Lara asked, "what did you do?"

"I won." Alex murmured, gently kissing her neck.

"You. . . ! You. . . . !" Lara couldn't find the right word to describe Alex at the moment, but decided a knee to his genitals was a good indication. Alex didn't make a sound when Lara kneed him, his eyes merely bulged out of his head in an indescribable pain. Lara shoved Alex away from her and scrambled to her feet. She surveyed the paint on her jumpsuit, then picked up her discarded gun. 

"Lara, baby, I'm sorry." Alex said, sitting up, still wincing in pain.

"No, you're not!" Lara shouted. Being a part of the aristocracy, Lara was not prone to making emotional scenes, however, she was too frustrated and exhausted to rationally deal with the situation. 

"Please, Lara. It's just a game."

"Just a game?! If it's just a game then why did you cheat?! Or where you talking about our relationship, because all the things you do seem like they're part of some sort of game that you're playing with me!"

"I'm not playing games with you, Lara. I love you." Alex pleaded.

"No, you don't! And when you think about it; this!" She indicated the paint on her jumpsuit, "is the perfect metaphor for our relationship!"

"I love you."

"Stop saying that!!! It's not true! You just want sex!"

"No, I don't. Lara, calm down, please."

"No! I have never loved you, Alex West and I never will!" With those final shouts, Lara stalked out of the forest. 

Several of the students, who had been watching from behind the trees, emerged and nervously looked around.

"Uh, Alex?" One finally spoke up. "Is the game over?"


	8. The Third Side

Author's Note: Another chapter, woo-hoo! And I _will_ be updating Tis The Season. AFTER I get my mountain of homework down to a small hill, though.

Oh, and I have a new homepage; http://mine.at/mblow0t5 or http://mine.at/thelair (I got two cause some people have a hard time remembering "mblow0t5") The site has ALL of my work posted, including over 180 short stories, poems, rants and fan fics.

And also check out the Meek-Haiygn Press Official News Letter, featuring the writings of six writers, including myself. Zany and fun, go here to sign up: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Meek-HaiygnPress/ 

And now, on with the story!

The phone rang. Lara glanced at it. She knew it was Alex. He had been calling her for most of the evening and all of the afternoon. Lara groaned, she knew she would have to face him sometime, after the scene she made out in the woods. For Lara to be perfectly honest with herself, she was extremely embarrassed that she started screaming at the tomb raider in front of everyone, and that the students knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt that she and Alex had more than a business relationship. 

The phone rang again. Lara bit her lower lip. She placed her journal beside her on the bed and sat up. The phone continued to ring. Lara sighed, then picked up the phone from her nightstand.

"Hello?" She asked, in dread.

"Lara, it's Alex." The voice on the other end of the line said.

_I hate it when I'm right. . . _Lara thought.

"Hi." She said, not sure of what else to say. The entire conversation was no doubt going to be awkward, after what had happened between them earlier that day.

"Hi." Alex responded.

There was silence.

"Do you need some help with something?" Lara asked, folding her arms over her chest.

"No, no, not really. I just wanted to know. . . I mean, since you've calmed down. . . . if you realized that you didn't mean all those things that you said, earlier."

Lara ran a hand through her long hair and rested her forehead on her palm. "I meant even single word, Alex."

"Oh."

Silence.

"Lara, I lo-"

"Don't." Lara snapped, lifting her head and pointing with her index finger, as if Alex could actually see her. "Don't start with that, again. You don't love me, Alex. I don't even think you know the meaning of the word."

"Lara. . . ." Alex trailed off.

"What?" Lara snapped, after several seconds of silence.

"Well, um, I wanted to know, if you'd like to go to the school's barbecue with me. Just as, well, business partners."

"Actually, I've already asked someone else." Lara lied.

"Oh."

More silence.

"Well, I guess I should be going. It's getting late."

"Night, Alex." Lara muttered.

"Night."

Lara hung up the phone and laid back in her bed. Now she felt guilty. Like she had been too cruel to Alex. _Damn him._ Lara thought to herself. Lara laid back in bed and made a frustrated sound. She had to find someone to take to the barbecue.

The barbecue was something that Alex had suggested, a break from all the hard work the students had been putting in. Lara had thought that it was a bad idea in the first place, but the students all seemed to like it, so, whether Lara liked it or not, the barbecue had been organized. She felt obligated to go, since she did own half of the school anyways. Besides, her not going might be seen as an act of cowardice. And as everyone knew, Lara Croft was no coward.

***

"Hello?"

"Victoria? It's Lara."

"Hi, how are you?"

Lara leaned back in her large bathtub, resting her head against the rim of the tub, staring at the design on the bathroom ceiling. "Alright, I guess. I'm in a bit of trouble right now though."

"Oh no, what happened? Did Mr. West do something?"

"You could say that." Lara muttered, blowing some bubbles from her soapy left shoulder. "But this isn't about Alex, the truth is, I need a date for Saturday and I can't think of anyone."

"Come on, Lara, don't you have a little black book?"

"Yes. I do. It had six numbers in it. Four don't work, one is now happily married and the other is currently in a mental institution."

"Ah. Well, I don't know how much help I can be. I haven't exactly been on the prowl for men for a while. Right now, one is all that I can handle." Victoria laughed.

"Can you think of ANYONE? I mean, I'm just about to ask Hillary to go."

"Oy, you must be desperate."

"No kidding."

"Why do you need a date anyways?"

"Because Alex asked me to go with him and I said that I was already going with someone else."

"Hm, bad move."

"I know, I know."

"Well, I know some of David's friends are available. However, I think you would have maimed them before the night is over."

Lara lifted her head. "I'm _not_ going out with a footballer. I might be desperate, but that's where I draw the line."

"Oh, footballers aren't all bad."

"For you, maybe not. But I have _yet_ to meet a footballer, aside from David, who I can stand."

"Hmm, how about Preston?"

"Doesn't ring a bell."

"You know, Preston Miller. He's a journalist. I introduced you too at a party once. He spent the rest of the night glazing at you, longingly."

"Right, do you have his number?"

"Yes, somewhere around here.

"Good, then my dating problems are over. . ." Lara sighed happily and ran some more water into the bathtub.

***

"Lara, I hate to tell you this, but there is a car pulling up in the driveway. I think it's Mr. Miller." Hillary said, gently knocking on Lara's bedroom door.

"What?!" Lara exclaimed. She raced over to her night stand and glanced at the clock. "He's over a half hour early! I'm not even dressed yet!"

"Shall I show him in?" Hillary asked, after a pause.

"Certainly. And try to keep him entertained, because I might be a while." Lara muttered, turning back to her closet and the pile of clothing that had accumulated on her bed. For some reason, Lara felt particularly stressed out over this barbeque. It was the first time she would see Alex, since their fight and was so unsure about the future situation between them that she was filled with dread.

_One step at a time._ Lara calmly reminded herself. She approached her closet and picked up a simple black tank top and a plain pair of blue jeans. She set them on her bed and glanced at her reflection in her bedroom mirror. She felt odd, going on a date with Alex around. It made her feel like she was a teenager, trying to make Alex jealous by hanging all over someone else.

Lara assured herself that that was not what she was doing. She was letting Alex know that she was not assessable to him by dating another man. Lara glanced at her reflection in the mirror across from her bed. _This is not going to work._ Lara mentally acknowledged.

Lara glared at her reflection, then grabbed her purse from where it lay on her bed and walked out of her room. Lara descended the stairs to see Preston Miller, a rather handsome man with a gentle smile and soft eyes, talking to Hillary. Preston looked up at her, paused, seemingly in awe, then stood.

"Hello Lara." He said, warmly.

"Hello, Preston." Lara said, almost cautiously. She politely shook Preston's hand.

Preston smirked at the tomb raider, then took her hand and chivalrously kissed it. Lara raised an eyebrow. _Hm, well, that was rather sweet._ She thought.

"So, what time should I be expecting you back?" Hillary asked, as he retrieved Lara's coat from the coat closet and helped her into it.

"The barbeque is supposed to end around midnight." Lara informed him. "But don't wait up." She said. She was slightly concerned with the way that sounded, but she was too stressed out over the barbeque to _really_ care what she sounded like.

"Well then, the night is young, let's be off." Preston said, offering Lara his arm. Lara accepted it as the two began to walk towards the door. "Should we take your car or mine?"

"Yours. Bryce promised to do some work on some of my cars in the garage. I'd hate to disturb him." Lara said. Preston opened the front door for Lara. "Bye, Hillary!" Lara called over her shoulder as she stepped out.

"Have fun, Lara." Hillary smiled. _Hmm, better go make up the guest house. _He thought to himself.

***

"Lara!" The tomb raider bearly had time to look up as Alex's niece launched herself into Lara's arms.

"Oof!" Lara caught the girl and hugged her tightly. "Nice to see you too." She smiled.

"I'm so glad that you could come." Kyra said, sitting on Lara's lap. "All of the boys said that you wouldn't cause you don't like uncle Alex. But I didn't believe them."

Lara flushed pink. Preston raised an eyebrow at her.

"You still like uncle Alex, don't you?" Kyra asked, looking up at Lara with her big blue eyes.

"Of-of course. We're great friends." Lara lied. "Why don't you go play for a bit, they're about to start the uh, talking. . . bits. Or something."

"Okay." Kyra said, shrugging her shoulders. "See you later, Lara!" With that, Kyra ran off to find someone else to talk to.

Preston adjusted his position on the large picnic blanket that he had brought. It was spread out over the grass around a large bonfire that was cooking the barbeque. Several of the students had brought blankets and were all sitting and chatting with each other while the food cooked.

"I know I shouldn't be asking this, but who is "uncle Alex"?"

"A prat." Lara mumbled.

"Beg your pardon?"

"He's my business partner."

"Alex West?"

"Yes, unfortunately."

"Didn't you date Alex for a while?"

"No. It was just something that the tabloids invented. I am in no way attracted to Alex West."

Preston made a thoughtful sound, but didn't say anything. Lara had a feeling that he didn't believe her. Lara hardly believed herself. Lara and Preston sat in an uncomfortable silence for several seconds. Finally, Preston broke the silence.

"Fancy a drink?" He asked.

"Certainly. Some alcoholic if they have any." She added, knowing that she was going to need a very stiff drink.

"And they say that British ladies don't hold their drink." Preston smirked, standing up.

"We'll see about that before the night is over." Lara commented.

Preston laughed, then walked towards the drink table. 

Lara had been alone for no more than a few seconds before she felt a hand on her arm. She jumped and turned around to see Alex kneeling next to her.

"Hey, I don't think I've ever seen you in jeans before." He stated, sitting down beside her and gently stroking her arm.

Lara withdrew her limb from Alex's grasp and glared at him.

"I don't remember inviting you to sit here." She snapped.

"You looked so lonely." Alex said, blinking innocently at her. "I thought you were here with someone."

"I am. My _date_ went to get me something to drink. Now, if you don't mind. . ." Lara trailed off hoping that Alex would catch her drift.

"No, it's no problem at all. I'd love to meet your date." Alex smirked.

_No such luck. . ._

"And what makes you think that he wants to meet you?" Lara asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Aw, I'm wounded, Lara." Alex said, grasping at his heart, he placed his other hand on Lara's leg and gently squeezed.

"If only. . ." Lara glowered.

"Lara?" Both tomb raiders looked up to see Preston holding two drinks, sit down next to Lara. "They didn't have any alcohol, so I got you some Pepsi." He said, handing her a drink. He glanced at Alex, then noted, much to his annoyance, that Alex had his hand on Lara's leg.

"You must be Alex West." Preston said, trying to keep a neutral tone.

"Sure am, who are you?"

"Preston Miller." He said. "Nice to meet you."

"Yeah, you too." Alex said, as he began to gently caress Lara's thigh. Lara smacked his hand and shot him a death glare.

"Why don't you go find your niece? I think she was looking for you." Lara said.

"Hm, okay. I'll see you later, sweetie." With that, Alex pressed a kiss to Lara's lips and got up before Lara could react. Lara whirled around and sputtered several incoherent phrases, then turned around, realized that it wouldn't do any good to yell at Alex's back.

"Lara, what just happened?" Preston asked, quietly.

The tomb raider laughed, nervously. "You'll have to forgive Alex, he's had a little bit too much to drink."

Preston raised an eyebrow at her. It was all too obvious that he didn't believe her.


	9. Love's Hangover

Well, well, well, I finally got my lazy ass into gear. It might snow tomorrow. Anywho, I have finally come up with a next part to Tis The Season! I'll be updating that story in the first week of December. Until then, check out the shiny new design on my website. http://mine.at/mblow0t5 or http://mine.at/thelair

 "Alex? Are you alright?" Alex tore his gaze away from where Lara and Preston sat on their picnic. They were happily talking and laughing, like a real couple.

"I'm fine." Alex responded, glancing at Melissa, the student who had addressed him.

"Oh please." Melissa glowered, crossing her arms over her chest. "If looks could kill, Lara's date would be dead."

"If only. . ." Alex muttered, lounging back on the picnic table that he was seated on. He turned to Melissa. "Look, why don't you go help the other students with that surprise skit or whatever you were doing. This is a little bit over your head." He patronized.

"Over my head?" Melissa demanded. "Are you saying that because I'm under thirty or because I'm female?"

"A bit touchy, are we?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow.

Melissa made an infuriated sound and stomped away. Alex sighed and took another sip from his Pepsi, while wishing for something much, much harder.

Alex continued to attempt to stare a hole in the back of Preston's head when, Joey, the school's prize student stepped up on the makeshift stage in front of the bonfire. 

"Hello, hello? Is this on?" Joey asked, taping the mic.

"It's on!!!" A group of students shouted from the left side of the stage.

"Oh! Uh, okay, well then, let's start the show." Joey said. He looked out into the audience. "It's great that everyone's here, God knows we all really needed this break." There was a cheer from the students. "Now, to start things off, we have a short skit from the freshman class."

"Boo! Freshies suck!" The upper class men in the crowd shouted.

"Same to you, Sophomores!" Another boy with a microphone said in a thick Irish accent.

"Okay, okay, play nice." Joey soothed. "So, lock up the kiddies cause we'd like to present WestEnders: The Fight Of Love."

Joey walked off the stage. Sappy soap opera music began to play, then a young woman with long brown hair that was tightly braided walked onto the stage. Lara blinked. That was meant to be her. She self consciously glanced around. The only time she had been publicly ridiculed was when the tabloids decided that she would be the perfect replacement for Geri Halliwell after her departure from the Spice Girls in 1998. And the time that Prince William admitted to having a crush on her. Lara shifted her gaze back onto the stage as Preston slipped his arm around her. The tomb raider relaxed against him.

Then a male student, carrying an empty can of beer wandered onstage. The female glanced at him.

"Alex, what have I told you about drinking during school hours?" The girl asked, mimicking Lara's accent.

"Same thing I told you about wearing panties." 'Alex' leered. "Not to do it." He added, moving closer to 'Lara'.

The original Lara raised an eyebrow.

"You horrible man!" 'Lara' pretended to slap 'Alex'. "What if one of the students heard you?"

"There aren't any students for fifty yards." 'Alex' muttered.

"Really?" 'Lara' suddenly grabbed 'Alex' and kissed him. "God, you turn me on." She said, shoving 'Alex' to the floor and practically ripping his shirt off.

Lara's jaw dropped. She felt Preston's arm wrap protectively around her waist.

Suddenly, two female students walked onto the stage. 'Lara' glanced up from 'Alex', then suddenly slapped him.

"You horrible, horrible man!" 'Lara' shouted. "I hate you, Alex West!" Then she stomped off stage.

"What was that all about?" One of the students asked, helping 'Alex' to his feet.

"Don't worry about it. She's just in denial." 'Alex' said, shrugging. "So, what do you want?"

"Well, some of the students have questions on our latest term paper." The second student said.

"Oh, don't worry about that, girls. You're all going to fail anyways. So go do your best. Good-luck, kids." 'Alex' said, patting the first student on the shoulder and walking offstage left. The two students shook their heads then walked offstage right.

Then there was a solid minute of absolutely nothing. Joey nervously stepped onstage. "Uh, we're having some technical difficulties. So, uh, intermission time. We'll be back in ten minutes."

"Hmmm, well, that was. . . interesting." Preston said, his arm dropping from Lara's waist.

"I don't act like that at all!" Lara blurted out.

"Of course not." Preston soothed. "I know all about 'creative license'. I'm a journalist, remember."

Lara smiled at him, but then her face fell. "I had no idea that the students were going to do this. I know you must be embarrassed."

"A little." Preston admitted. "But having a beautiful, intelligent woman in my arms does make me feel a bit better." He slid his arms around Lara's waist, then gently kissed her. Lara was pleasantly caught by surprise. She leaned into the kiss, running her fingers through Preston's thick dark hair.

Suddenly, their embrace was broken as Preston was hauled to his feet. Before Lara could even look up, she heard Alex's fist connect with Preston's jaw. One of the students screamed as Lara leapt to her feet and struggled to separate the two.

"Alex, stop!" She shouted, grappling with Alex's jacket, in a vain attempt to pull him away from Preston. Alex landed several powerful punches before the head of the school's security, an exceptionally built young man, shoved Lara aside and dragged Alex from the fight. Alex struggled and shouted all the obscenities he could think of as Lara rushed to Preston's side. 

She helped him to his feet and quickly took him to the small medical room that was on the left side of the building closest to where the bonfire was. Lara flicked on the lights and sighed deeply as she opened a first-aid kit and began to treat Preston.

***

"Truth or dare?" Preston asked.

"Truth." Lara responded, taking another sip from her glass of champagne.

"Have you slept with Alex West?"

The question was quite sobering, although Lara's nine glasses of champagne wasn't about to let anything get to her. Lara lay back against the pillows of the king sized bed in the master bedroom of her guest house. Preston was still a little swollen from the fight with Alex, but the champagne was definitely helping with the pain.

"I'm sorry." Preston murmured, stroking Lara's arm. "That was out of line, wasn't it?"

"No, not really." Lara murmured. "To be truthful, I've never slept with him."

"Then why is he so bloody jealous?" Preston asked.

"He's just a prat in general." Lara murmured, laying down in Preston's arms. "He keeps saying that he loves me and he'll go and sell my stuff and treat my like I'm his personal tramp."

"What an idiot." Preston murmured. "He doesn't know how to treat a lady." He murmured, gently kissing Lara's lips. After Lara had treated Preston, they went back to her manor, one thing lead to another and the pair ended up in the bedroom paying Truth Or Dare. Neither knew (or cared, for that matter) what happened to Alex.

"So, truth or dare?" Lara asked, sitting up and taking the bottle of champagne from the night stand and refilling her glass.

"Truth." Preston murmured, offering her his glass. Lara refilled it while she thought of an appropriate truth.

"Hmm, I can't think of anything. Tell me some random truth." Lara murmured, laying back down in Preston's arms.

"I want to make love to you tonight." Preston said, plainly.

Lara took a long sip from her glass of champagne. "Well, that was direct." She commented. "I must admit that I've never had sex on the first date."

"Neither have I." Preston said. "But it seems strangely appropriate. Not to mention a rather nice way to end this disaster of a date."

Lara nodded in agreement.

***

Lara glanced around the hallway, making sure that Hillary and Bryce weren't in the area, then snuck around the kitchen and began to make her way upstairs.

"Good morning, Lara!" Lara froze at the friendly voice. Hillary leaned over the railing from the second floor and waved to her. Lara silently swore, then walked slowly upstairs, knowing that Hillary knew exactly what happened the pervious night and although he was too professional to say anything about it, his calm manner would no doubt unnerve her.

"I thought you might like to know that Mr. West rang this morning." Hillary said.

"Did you tell him to sod off?" Lara asked, rubbing her eyes as she stepped into her bedroom.

"No. . . ." Hillary said. "Should I have?"

"Yes." Lara muttered.

"What did he do now?"

"Ruined my date, for one."

"Ah. I think I can fill in the blanks from there. Although I don't believe the night was a complete failure." Hillary stated, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Neither do I." Lara said, slipping out of her shoes and sitting down on her bed. "Well, I'm planning to call Mr. West back, so if there's a long string of obscenities coming from the room, you'll know what it was." Lara stated, picking up the small cordless phone on her night stand and punching in Alex's home phone number. Hillary nodded, then turned and left, quietly shutting the door behind him.

Lara waited impatiently for Alex to pick up. _This is finally it._ She assured herself. _Is he going to be a prat or will he actually be an adult?_

"Hello?" The sleepy American voice on the other end of the phone asked.

"Good morning." Lara replied, coolly.

"Hi, Lara." The voice muttered.

"Yes well, enough with the pleasantries. Alex, this is very, very serious."

"What? Me punching your moron of a date?" He snapped, defensibly.

"No." Lara snapped back. "Although I've got a right mind to break just about every bone in your body for it. . ."

"Such a lady." Alex said, sarcastically.

"_Anyways._ Alex, I refuse to continue this partnership if you are going to continue to act like this."

"Like what?!"

"Like a total prat."

"I don't need this shit, Lara. You're not my mother."

"No, I'm not. I'm your business partner and without my support your school will cease to exist." She added, cruelly. "Now, will you start acting like an adult. . . or just continue throwing your toys out of the pram?"

"Are you trying to blackmail me?"

"No. I'm simply giving you an ultimatum."

Alex heaved a heavy sigh. "Look Lara, I know you don't believe me, but I love you. And when I saw you kissing Preston, I-I lost it. I'm sorry about punching him, but I couldn't help it. Besides, he doesn't deserve you."

"And you do?" Lara snapped.

"Yes." Alex stated, boldly. "Because I love you and he doesn't."

"Alex, when will you get it through your head that I don't care about you?"

"Never. Because it's not true."

"I'm not getting into this. . ." Lara muttered. "All I want to know is if you are going to behave like a decent human being from now on."

"Yes. . . But under one condition."

"What?"

"You stop dating that guy."

"No."

"Then I won't act like an adult."

"Then your school will close down."

There was silence.

"Damn." Alex finally muttered. "Alright, fine. You can continue to date the idiot and I won't punch his face in. . ."

"And you won't keep telling me that you love me or keep selling my artifacts for your own personal gain or come onto me or pout whenever I'm not giving you my undivided attention."

"Fine, fine, fine." Alex muttered.

"Right." Lara said, satisfied. "I'll see you tomorrow in the office then."

"Bye." Alex set down the phone and laid back down in his bed. He stared at the ceiling and sighed, unhappily. "I love you, Lara Croft." He muttered.

Alex fumbled in his nightstand drawer and pulled out a small black velvet box. He opened it and gaze at the delicate silver engagement ring inside. Muttering a curse, Alex snapped the box shut and replaced it in his nightstand. 


	10. What Can You Do?

"Hey, Lara? Have finished looking over the first year's term papers?"

Lara looked up from the papers she was grading. Alex was standing over her desk with several folders of graded work from his classes in his arms.

"Yes, I've just finished." Lara said, indicating the stack on the end of her desk.

"Great." Alex said. He picked up the term papers, then deposited all of the paperwork on his own desk, which was surprisingly clean. "How were they?"

"Pardon?" Lara asked, glancing up from her papers.

"The papers. How did the first years do?" Alex said, sitting on his desk.

"Rather well, I thought." Lara said, leaning back in her chair. "Over all, they were very well researched and quite well written. I was rather impressed."

"Wow, that sounds good." Alex said, nodding approvingly. "And to think that they complained when I did a section on how to write term papers." He smirked.

"Well, it does seem to have paid off." Lara stated. "At any rate, they were much better than first term's attempts."

Alex made a thoughtful sound, then hopped off of his desk and sat down in his office chair. He opened his grading book and settled down to record the student's grades. Lara glanced at him. They had been acting like professional business partners for two months now. True to his word, Alex hadn't even looked at Lara in a sexual way. They were now able to handle their partnership like two adults who had no attraction to each other. Lara found this rather unnerving. She found herself wondering when Alex would simply snap out of it and starting hitting on her again. Even when Lara had sprained her ankle during a field practice. Alex had helped her to the infirmary, laying her arm across his shoulders and gripping her waist so she could lean her body weight on him. He had the perfect opportunity to do something immature, but he didn't. She felt practically suspicious of him now.

Lara shook her head from her thoughts and went back to grading the tests in front of her. She had almost completely regained her focus when the phone rang. She glanced at the phone on her desk, but then realized that it was Alex's phone that was ringing. He picked it up and she went back to work.

"Hello?" Alex asked, balancing the phone between his ear and shoulder as he began to sort the file folders into his bottom desk drawer. "Yeah." Lara tried to concentrate on her work, but she found herself listening intently to Alex's American accent as he continued. "Hey Ryan, what's up?" She suddenly found herself remembering the sound of his low sound of his voice when he was aroused. Lara then caught herself, chastised her brain for thinking about that, then returned to her work, determined to forget about Alex and his sexy voice. "Oh." Alex said, softly. "Yeah, of course. . . Sure, that won't be a problem. . . . I'll be out in a few days. . . Yeah. . . I'll see you then. . . Bye."

Lara heard the phone being replaced on the receiver, but she didn't look up. She finished grading a test and marked the number grade on the top with her red pen. She quickly flipped to another test before her mind could wander off again. She was almost halfway done grading when she noticed how quiet Alex was being. Lara looked up. Alex was sitting rigidly in his chair, his eyes staring blankly in front of him, the color draining from his face.

"Alex?" Lara asked. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. . ." Alex said, after a pause, his eyes still unfocused. "I think."

"Who was that on the phone?" She asked.

"Huh?" Alex's eyes regained their focus as he snapped out of his daze. "Oh, that was my brother, Ryan. He called to tell me that my dad just died."

Lara froze. She knew how close Alex and his father were. Hearing this only brought back the pain of when Lara lost her own father as a teenager. "Alex, I'm so sorry." She murmured, helplessly. Not knowing what else to say.

Alex held his face in his hands, his elbows resting on his desk. Lara rose from her chair and walked over to his desk, comfortingly placing her hand on his shoulder.

"How did he die?" Lara asked, softly.

"He-"

"Uncle Alex!" Kyra ran into the room, leaping into her uncle's lap as she cut him off. "Uncle Alex, the girls found a duckling outside their dorm and it doesn't have a mommy, can we. . . ." Kyra trailed off from her excited chapter, knowing from the grave look on Lara and Alex's faces that something was wrong. "What's the matter Uncle Alex?" She asked, reaching up and touching her uncle's cheek.

Alex wrapped his arms around Kyra and looked her in the eyes. "Sweetie, your Uncle Ryan just called."

"Did you get into a bad fight with him?" Kyra asked.

"No. He called to tell me that your granddaddy died this morning." He said, softly.

"Granddaddy. . . died?" Kyra asked. Alex nodded, solemnly. Lara wanted to comfort the child, but she knew that there was nothing to say. All the nice words had been said when her parents died and now, death was at it again.

"I don't want granddaddy to die." Kyra said, tears spilling from her big blue eyes. Alex held her against his chest, gently stroking her hair.

"I don't want him to die either." Alex told her, his eyes watering. Kyra clung to him, burying her head in Alex's shoulder.

"Alex," Lara said, lightly touching his shoulder. "Do you want me to leave?"

"You might as well." Alex murmured, looking up at her. "School's over. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Alright." She said. "Until then." Lara went over to her desk to collect her shoulder bag that she kept her teaching things in, she was just about to walk out when Kyra lifted her head from her uncle's shoulder.

"No!!!" Kyra screamed.

Lara jumped and turned around to look at the girl. Kyra hopped off of Alex's lap and ran to Lara, wrapping her arms around Lara's legs.

"You can't go!" Kyra sobbed. "I don't want you to leave me, too!"

"Don't be silly, Kyra." Lara said, picking her up. "I'm just going home for the night. I'll see you first thing in the morning."

"No!" Kyra sobbed. "Everybody leaves me and then they don't come back. I don't want you to go, Lara"

"Kyra, honey, calm down." Alex said, getting out of his chair and walking over to the two. "Lara'll come back tomorrow, then you can see again."

"No!" Kyra insisted as Lara began to wipe her face with a Kleenex from her desk. "Mommy and daddy didn't come back. Now granddaddy won't either. Nobody ever comes back from heaven! If you and Lara leave I won't have anybody left." She said, sniffling, then burst into another round of tears. Alex and Lara exchanged glances. Alex shrugged helplessly. Neither had any idea what to do. 

"Look, I'll come and have dinner with you, then after Kyra's calmed down we can talk to her a bit, okay?" Lara asked, not knowing if that plan was going to work at all.

"Alright." Alex agreed.

*

Lara idea had gone relatively well. She Alex and Kyra had gone back to the house, Kyra insisted on one of them holding her at all times. But when Kyra had finally calmed down, she had a terrible headache. Lara took Kyra to lay down and watched her while she slept as Alex made dinner for the three of them. Dinner was eaten in a stony silence. Alex was unfocused and seemed to be lost in his own bleak world, Kyra clutched her fork possessively and nibbled on a dinner roll, not bothering to touch the food on her plate, while Lara sat there, lost in her own thoughts and worries. What a fine bunch they made. She thought, sarcastically.

After dinner, Lara and Kyra snuggled together on the couch and talked. Talking to her was rather haunting if Lara was honest with herself. This six-year-old child had already had the same thoughts and feelings that Lara had had when she was a teenager. All children seem to possess a strange wisdom, but Kyra possessed a lot more and a much more mature brand of wisdom than any that Lara had ever heard. Although Lara thought the talk was helpful, she thought it would be best if Kyra saw a professional. She told Alex this after reading her a bedtime story and tucking her into bed. He seemed too overwhelmed with his own grief to be able to comprehend what Lara was saying. He only nodded slightly.

Lara had left the West house profoundly worried for the two people inside. What a horrible thing for either of them to have to experience, she thought. Alex had now lost his brother, sister-in-law and his father while Kyra was orphaned and now having to deal with the death of her grandfather. Lara thought back to when her father died. She hadn't handled it well. Not at all. The poor man, who came to tell her that they discovered his body, was branded a liar half a dozen names that would have made a sailor blush, then slapped across the face. Lara had started lashing out at everyone, including Hillary, so consumed in her grief. Her father was the most important person in her life, his death left her filled with rage and terror.

Lara sighed deeply as she stared at the ceiling of her bedroom. She knew that this wasn't really her problem, but after seeing how Alex was that evening, it was obvious that if he didn't get help with Kyra and with his own grief, the situation would only get worse. Lara rolled over, thinking about Kyra. It was strangely comforting to snuggle with her the way they did when they were talking. Lara had suddenly felt so maternal and caring. It was as if Kyra was her own daughter. What an interesting family they'd make. Lara mused. Sort of a Lilo & Stitch family. Although Lara figured that she would probably end up being the violent alien. She sighed again and pulled the blankets over her head. She didn't know what to do. 


	11. Marina

Chapter 11

The phone rang. Lara looked up from her cup of morning tea and glanced at the phone on her night stand. She let it ring one more time before wearily picking it up. She had hardly slept the pervious night. Thoughts about Alex and Kyra had kept her up worrying and when she did finally manage to drift off, she had nightmares. That morning Lara had asked Hillary to bring her breakfast in bed. She felt too worn out to get up and face the day yet.

"Hello?" Lara murmured into the receiver.

"Lara? It's Alex."

"Are you alright? You sound worried."

"Can you come over?"

"What's wrong?"

"It's Kyra. She flipped out when she found out that you weren't here."

"Flipped out?" Lara's heart started pounding. "What do you mean?"

"I mean 'flipped out'. She started screaming and crying and now she's hiding under her bed and refuses to come out. She thinks that you're dead and everyone else in the world is going to die and she's going to be left all alone."

"We should have seen this coming. Alex, she's got to go into therapy."

"I know, I know." Alex said, sounding frustrated. "Right now, I'd just like to get her to my dad's funeral and back. After all of that is settled, I'll get her a therapist. Now can you please come over so she can see you're not dead?"

Lara sighed, heavily. "I'll be over in a few minutes."

"Thanks, Lara." Alex murmured. "You have no idea how thankful I am."

*

Lara gently stroked Kyra's hair, leaning back against Alex's plush black couch. Kyra sniffled a little, wiping her nose with a very used tissue. She buried her face in Lara's shoulder. It had taken over two hours to convince Kyra to come out from under her bed. When the task was finally accomplished, Kyra had curled up in her arms and snuggled with her while Alex tried to attend to some of the school business.

"Hey, are you hungry, sweetie?" Lara asked, softly.

"A little." Kyra said, rubbing her eyes.

"Why don't we get some breakfast and wait for your uncle to come back, hmm?"

"He's not coming back." Kyra said, sorrowfully. "No one does. They all just leave."

"That's not true, I came back."

"But you'll leave. Maybe not now, but you will. Then I'll be all alone again. Lara, why does everybody leave me? Am I really that bad?"

"No, no, it's not you, darling. Your parents and grandfather didn't leave because they didn't love you. I'm sure they loved you more than anything. I know my father did. But it was just their time to go. They couldn't control it."

"Were you real sad when your daddy died?"

"Yes, I was devastated." Lara murmured. "I thought that my life was over. But I was strong and I moved forward and now look where I am. I still love my father with all my heart and I miss him terribly sometimes."

"What do you do about it?"

"Well, sometimes I think about children who never knew their fathers and how lucky I was to have known mine. And sometimes I think of all the fun we had and I'm grateful for all those memories."

"I remember once when mommy and daddy took me to the beach." Kyra said, her blue eyes brightening. "It was lots of fun. We splashed around in the water and daddy played Marco Polo with me and I laid on the beach with mommy and then we all build a huge sand castle and I got to put the flag on the top."

"That sounds wonderful." Lara said, kissing Kyra's forehead.

"Do you think you could marry Uncle Alex so you could be my new mommy and Uncle Alex would be my new daddy?"

"No, I'm sorry, sweetie, but I don't think your uncle and I are the best match." Lara said, truthfully.

"I think you are." Kyra said. "But he needs to be a little nicer and you need to stop nagging him."

Lara chuckled. "I'll remember that." 

The two turned when they heard the front door open and shut. Alex wandered into the living room where they were sitting and tossed his keys onto the end table.

"Hey, how are you feeling, Kyra?" He asked his niece, managing a weary smile.

"Okay." She said. "I'd feel better if we went out for breakfast though."

"You got it." Alex sat down next to Lara and gently cupped Kyra's cheek. "After we go out for breakfast we have to start packing though. Your granddaddy's funeral is going to be on Friday."

Kyra suddenly went rigid in Lara's arms. "Is Lara coming?" She asked.

"No, Lara's got to stay here and take care of the school." Alex said. "She'll be waiting for us when we get back, though." He quickly amended.

"I'm not going if Lara's not." Kyra informed her uncle as she buried her face in Lara's shoulder.

"Honey, Lara can't come with us. She's got to stay here." Alex soothed. "It's okay though, she'll be here when we get back from the states."

"But she's got to come with us." Kyra insisted. "Otherwise you'll get lost and you can't braid and I wanted to braid my hair for the funeral cause granddaddy always liked my hair in braids and you're going to go out with all my other uncles and then I'll be lonely and I need Lara to keep me company. And besides, I need someone that I can talk girl talk to." The little girl concluded.

"Well, no arguing with that." Alex shrugged. He glanced at Lara. "Do you want to come?"

"Please, you've got to, Lara, you've got to!" Kyra insisted.

"But who's going to watch the school?" Lara asked.

"Well, actually, Spring Break is supposed to be next week, but why don't we bump it up a little? That would give us plenty of time. Then we can get the supervisors to watch the place until we get back." Alex suggested.

"Well, alright, I'll go with you." Lara said.

"Yay!" Kyra exclaimed.

"Now why don't you get your shoes on and we'll go get something to eat." Alex said.

Kyra quickly scampered off to go find her shoes, while Alex reclined on the couch. "You didn't have to do that, you know." He said.

"I know. But you have enough on your plate without worrying about Kyra." Lara reminded him.

There was a brief pause between the two.

"Well? Aren't you going to say it?" Alex asked.

"What?"

" 'I told you so'?"

Lara scoffed. "That hardly seems appropriate in this context. I believe you've misjudged me, Mr. West."

Alex gently took her hand in his. "Yeah, I think I have."

*

"Lara, before you go to sleep I need to talk to you." Alex said, gently nudging Lara's arm.

The sleepy Tomb Raider looked up. "What?" She murmured, yawning. She glanced over at Kyra. The little girl was curled up by her window seat, cuddling Marina, a blue teddy bear that Lara had purchased for her, figuring it might offer some comfort to her.

"I kinda wanted to give you the run down on my family before you met them. Just so you know what to expect." Alex said.

"Okay." Lara said, shifting her position. She had desperately wanted to sleep on the plane trip to the states, but she reluctantly turned her attention to Alex. "Go ahead."

"Well, first I have four brothers. There's Matt, the eldest, Howard, Ken and Dillion. I'm the youngest. Dillion is Kyra's father, who, as you know, is dead. Howard and Ken are both married with families and they'll be staying at motels. Matt is still single and he's going to be staying at the house where we're staying."

"Wait, we're staying at your parent's house?" Lara asked. "Are you sure that's not imposing?"

"Yeah, I talked to them before I booked the tickets. Mom wanted us to stay at the house, probably so she can see Kyra and make sure that I haven't screwed her up."

"What about me? I'm not a member of your family."

"She said you're welcome to stay. Don't worry, Lara, mom's going to adore you."

"Well, alright." Lara said, still unsure.

"Anyway, this is Howard's third marriage, so don't say anything to him about it. Matt is kinda oversexed, so when he hits on you, just ignore him. Ken is an okay guy, just don't get into any competitions with him. He's a very sore loser. Also, mom is very old fashioned, she can get offended by the smallest things, so don't take it personally if you piss her off. I'm not sure who else is coming, but I'll tell you about them when they get there."

"Okay, I'll try to remember all that." Lara said, sleepily.

"Oh and be sure to hug mom when you meet her and smile a lot."

"Yes, Alex." She yawned.

Alex sighed. "I hope that's everything. God, Lara have I told you how thankful I am that you're doing this?"

"Yes, Alex."

"Do you know how grateful I am that I have you around?"

"Yes, Alex."

"I love you, Lara."

"Yes, Alex."


	12. Mr Miller

Author's Note: Well, it's been a while, hasn't it? Anywho, here's the next chapter for TR VS. TR. I'm cooking up another chapter for Tis The Season right now, can you believe that story is over two years old? It sure has evolved. Anyway, until next time, check out my shiny new domain: this site has both my MiSTing site and my homepage (which I need to update ^^;;;). Also, check out the Meek-Haiygn Press News Letter for more fun. 

Lara collapsed onto the bed of the West's spacious guest room. She pulled a pillow over her head and sighed happily. Sleep. There wasn't anything sweeter in the world. She thought that she had gotten on rather well with Alex's family. His brothers all seemed rather nice and his mother had declared herself Lara's new best friend. Lara was a little put off by this, seeing as she was never used to people accepting her as she was. But Lara figured that it might have had something to do with her suspicion that his mother was under the impression that she was Alex's girlfriend. With all that was going on, Lara didn't have the heart to enlighten her.

The wake for Alex's father was the next day at noon and the funeral was to be the following day. Lara wasn't quite sure if she was up to all this. She hated funerals and everything that went with them and she couldn't imagine how she was supposed to deal with Kyra, who was still grieving for her grandfather. Lara rolled over, deep in thought. Alex seemed to be handling himself rather well, he seemed genuinely happy to see his family and acted like his normal charming self. Lara was simply worried that his façade would all come tumbling down at the wake.

There was a soft knock at the door, Lara propped herself up on her elbows and glanced at the door.

"Come in." She said, sitting up.

Alex entered the room and softly shut the door after himself. Lara sat up, drawing her knees against her chest. She hadn't bothered to undress, so she was still clad in a pair of jeans and a tight black shirt.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Lara asked as Alex sat down on the stool by the vanity. 

"Pretty good." Alex said, giving her a weary smile. "How are you?"

"Good, but incredibly tired." Lara said, pulling the ponytail holder from the end of her braid and began to unravel her hair from the tight hairstyle.

"You did really well with mom, she adores you. Although, I somehow get the feeling that she thinks you're my girlfriend." Alex said, sheepishly.

"And I take it that you did nothing to disillusion her." Lara said, raising an eyebrow at him.

Alex shrugged. "Let's not talk about this now, okay?"

"Alright, so what do you want to talk about?"

"Kyra."

Lara sighed, deeply. "I was just thinking about her, actually."

"Poor kid." Alex murmured. "She's in such a horrible situation."

"I know. She seemed okay tonight. She enjoyed dinner." Lara shrugged. "I wish there was something else I could do, but there's no replacement for her grandfather."

Alex suddenly smiled at her.

"What?" Lara asked, running hand through her newly un-braided hair. 

"Sorry, just a random thought." He said.

"What random thought was that?"

"Nothing. Just thinking how nice it was to have someone to talk to."

"Yes, it is." Lara murmured, taken off guard by his sentiment.

Alex glanced at his watch. "Well, I better get to bed. We're going to have another long day tomorrow."

"Okay, good-night, Alex. Sleep well." Lara nodded.

Suddenly, Alex leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"Good-night." He murmured.

*

"Lara, Lara, wake up. Come on, Lara."

The tomb raider rolled over, pulling her pillow over her head. She hadn't had a very restful nights sleep and was still fatigued and frustrated.

"Lara, this is important, come on." The voice insisted.

Lara opened her eyes and looked around, Alex was leaning over her bed with an intent look on his face.

"What's going on?" She asked, sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

"There's been some trouble back in England." He said, tightly.

"Trouble? What's wrong?"

"I'll explain later, right now we've got to get out of here."

"What? But the wake, the funeral, what are we supposed to do about that?" Lara asked, running a hand through her hair.

"I'll explain later." Alex repeated. "Now get up, I've booked us a flight back to England." He said, pulling the covers away from the sleepy tomb raider.

"Wait just a minute, I am not going anywhere until you tell me exactly what is going on." Lara said, yanking the covers away from him. "What trouble are you talking about and why can't we resolve it from here?"

"Don't argue with me Lara, I'm not in the mood." Alex said, his eyes cold.

"Yes, well, I'm not really in the mood for putting up with anymore of your pig headed inconsideration. Now either tell me what is going on or I'm going back to bed."

"Look, there's a story in the tabloids that I've been embezzling money from the school. There is going to be a warrant out for my arrest soon and the house is surrounded by reporters. My mom is pissed off at me and ordered me to leave, so now we've got to get out of here and fast."

"This is too much to deal with before I've had my tea." Lara muttered, reaching for her wrist watch.

"Will you just get dressed?" Alex pleaded.

"Alright, I'll be out in a minute. I hope you have Kyra ready."

"Not yet, I'm not entirely sure what to tell her."

"Well, try something other than the line you pulled on me." Lara said, getting out of bed and stretching.

*

_ALEX WEST SUSPECTED OF EMBEZZLEMENT! School's prize student admits to helping West launder over a million pounds!_

Lara skimmed over the article, catching a grammatical error. She glanced at Alex and sighed deeply. They were on a plane back to England. They had managed to avoid the paparazzi surrounding the West family home and get safely to an airport where they got the first flight out. Kyra had been upset about not being able to attend the wake or the funeral of her grandfather and had cried for a solid half hour. Lara suspected that she wasn't worried about her uncle due to the fact that she didn't quite understand what was going on. The little girl was asleep now, exhausted from all her crying, still cuddling her teddy bear. Lara glanced at Alex.

"Well?" She asked him, shoving the newspaper at him.

"Well what?" He responded, glancing at the paper.  

"Did you do it?" She sighed, dreading the answer.

"I beg your pardon?" Alex coughed.

"Did you do it? Did you embezzle the money from the school?"

"I can't believe you're asking me that." He scoffed.

"Why shouldn't I? You were handling all the money for the school, you would have had ample time to do it and, if I might remind you, you've had a love affair with money longer than I've known you. Besides, if there is money missing, it's my money too, so answer me straight. Did you do it?"

Alex was silent.

"I'll take that as a 'yes' then." Lara sighed, she hated it whenever she went against her better instincts about a person and was then proved so completely wrong.

"I didn't say 'yes'." Alex said, quietly.

"But you didn't say 'no' either."

"I'm not answering that question, Lara. I thought you trusted me. I thought you had even the slightest bit of faith in me. Do you really think that I would try to sell out my life's dream?"

"I had faith in you, Alex. Then you sold _me_ out. And for one lousy artifact that means nothing to you."

"Forget it. You obviously don't trust me." With that, Alex turned away from her and rested his head against the small pillow that was given to him by the stewardess. Within a few minutes Lara could hear his light snoring.

She leaned back in her chair. Honestly, how did he expect her to trust him after all he had done to her. Why had she even trusted him in the first place? Guilt. She felt guilty about the way she had treated him and to make it up to him she invested her time and her money in his little project. Then he had taken her time and stolen her money, all while he sexually harassed her. His audacity was nothing short of astounding.

The ring tone on her cell phone broke her concentration. Lara pulled out her phone and answered it, grateful for the distraction.

"Hullo?" She asked, leaning back in her chair and closing her eyes.

"Lara? Darling, it's so nice to hear your voice."

"Oh, hello Preston. It's good to hear from you too." Lara said. _Especially since we slept together last week._ She added, mentally.

"I suppose you've heard about the scandal."

"Yes, unfortunately." Lara grimaced.

"What was your reaction? I can imagine that it was quite a shock."

"I don't know, Preston, I feel so numb right now. It's like I knew this was coming all along and now that it's happened, I don't know what to feel."

"You knew this was going to happen? What do you mean?"

"I knew that Alex couldn't be so perfect. I mean, the last few weeks he had been so nice to be, really, a total gentleman, now this." She glanced over at the sleeping man. "But what did I expect? There were definite warning signs. Ones I shouldn't have ignored."

"Like what?"

"All the nonsense about him selling my artifacts, really. But enough about my problems, how are you doing?"

"Very well. Very well now that I've talked to you. I can't wait to see you again, Lara."

"Hmm, that sounds nice." Lara smiled.

"How about dinner, Thursday night?"

"Sounds perfect."

"I'll pick you up around seven then."

"I'll be waiting."

"Good, good." There was a pause. "Oh damn, I've got to run Lara, I've got a meeting."

"Alright, I'll see you Thursday then."

"I'll think of nothing else. Good-bye, Lara."

"Bye."

*

"Lara, shall I prepare something for supper?" Hillary asked, poking his head into the TV room where Lara and Kyra were curled up together watching cartoons on Lara's big screen television.

"Yes, that would be wonderful Hillary, thank you." Lara said, softly.

Kyra rubbed her swollen eyes, "can we have spaghetti?" She asked.

"Certainly." Hillary nodded, then left the room.

"Lara?" Kyra asked.

"Yes?" The tomb raider responded.

"What's going to happen to Uncle Alex?"

"Well, I'm not sure."

"Why did those police men take him away?"

"They think that he was involved in something that was illegal. It doesn't mean that he did something wrong, necessarily. It's just that the police have reason to believe that he might have."

"Do you think he did something bad?"

"I don't know what to believe anymore, Kyra. I'd like to think that you uncle did nothing wrong, but I really should know better than that." Lara stated, bluntly.

"Am I going to be staying with you until they let Uncle Alex go?" She asked, turning her blue eyes towards Lara. They looked so much like Alex's.

"Yes, of course." _Which might be longer than you think. She added, negatively._

"Just wait, Uncle Alex will be fine. Then everyone will see that he didn't do anything wrong. Just wait."

Lara sighed. She wished that she could believe that.

*

"Damn it!" Lara shouted. She couldn't believe it. An hour before her date, her only ray of sunshine throughout the hellacious week that this had been, and she had just put a gigantic runner in her last pair of black tights. Lara frantically searched through her dresser drawer for another pair of tights. Her fears confirmed, she only came up with a tan pair and a white pair.

"Bugger." She muttered. After spending a solid hour picking out her outfit and her makeup, she was stuck without tights. Normally she wouldn't have worried about it and would have just gone without, but she had noticed a nasty black and blue mark on her left knee that morning and due to the shortness of her skirt, it was clearly visible. Lara glanced back at her wardrobe, she only long skirt she owned had a gaping hole in the side, made by a clumsy knife throw the night she had gone to pay a syndicate boss a visit. She had meant to get it mended, but it was something she had never gotten around to.

She had no other option, she had to go out and get another pair of tights. Slipping into a pair of pants, Lara grabbed her hand bag from her bed and ran downstairs. 

"Hillary, I'll be going out for a bit, I'll be right back." Lara said, racing past her butler, towards the garage.

"Shall I entertain Mr. Miller if he arrives early?" Hillary asked.

"Yes, I'll be right back though, I just need to get a new pair of tights." Lara finished, entering the garage. She selected the keys to her motorcycle and picked up her helmet.

Within minutes she was in front of her favorite department store. Lara parked her motorcycle and unstrapped her helmet, she was just about to enter the store when one of the newspapers, being displayed by a man in a corner shop. Lara walked over, reading, then rereading the headline.

Lara Croft: "I knew it was coming all along" 

_An insider's story: Lady Croft talks about the scandal and her relationship with Alex West._

Lara grabbed the paper and skimmed through the article. She was totally puzzled, how had they gotten this information? Lara was quoted on things that she had actually said; in a _tabloid. While she was quite used to being misquoted in tabloids, these were her exact words, staring back at her accusingly. How had the press gotten this information? Had they bugged her phone? Sent a spy? Then, Lara saw the name of the writer of the article and everything fell into place. _

Preston Miller. 

Sweet, kind, thoughtful Preston had sold her out for the front page of a tabloid. Lara put the tabloid down and walked away from the stand, her head swimming. She had been totally betrayed by the one person she thought was sane in her crazy world. Lara put her helmet back on and mounted her bike. She could feel the hot tears forming in her eyes.

To be continued. . . . 


	13. Losing Faith

Yes, I know, it's been about 10 thousand years since I've updated. I'm still alive, you know, just very, very, very, very, very busy. Anywho, here's the next installment. Enjoy! 

Hillary trotted down the front stairs of the Croft manor. He fastened the tie of his hunter green bathrobe and padded to the front door. He breathed deeply and sighed, he loved the early mornings. He was mentally debating whether to cook bacon or ham for breakfast when he pulled open the front door to retrieve the newspaper. Before he could finish his thought he was blinded by the flash of a camera. Hillary bearly had any time to recover when the shouting started.

"Are you Lady Croft's butler?"

"Do you know anything about the Tomb Raiding school scandal?"

"What's your name?"

"Have you ever slept with Lara Croft?"

"What's your opinion of the scandal?"

"Do you think that Tomb Raiding is grave robbing?

"Has Alex West ever slept with Lara Croft?"

"How much does she pay you?"

Acting solely on instinct, Hillary ducked back into the house, slammed the door and bolted it. He shook his head, his eyes still adjusting from the camera flashes. Once his eyes were back to normal, Hillary cautiously straightened up and glanced out the door's peep hole. The reporters were everywhere. At least thirty were around the door, several cars were now parked on Hillary's meticulously managed lawn. He leaned against the door and shook his head. He knew that he had forgotten to lock the front gate the pervious night.

Now the Croft manor had been overtaken by tabloid journalists. Lara was going to strangle him. Brilliant.

Lara stared at the ceiling of her bedroom, feeling miserable and empty. She rolled onto her side and brought the blankets up around her neck and snuggled into her bed, wishing that she could just disappear underneath the seven hundred thread count sheets. She glanced at the clock beside her bed. Only three minutes had past since she had last looked at it.

She rolled onto her back and sighed deeply. After finding out about Preston's tabloid betrayal she had come home in a daze. She felt like a child, unable to comprehend the delicate adult game that she had become trapped in. Questions kept pounding in her head. Why had Preston used her? Why did Alex lie to her? Why was she alone; day after day, night after night? Why couldn't she just find one person that she could trust?

When she arrived home, still reeling from the discovery, she told Hillary what had happened. He had comforted Lara the best that he could and told her not to worry. There were other men out there. There was one that would treat her with the respect that she deserves. But at that point, that was not the comfort that Lara needed and she retreated to her bedroom.

When Preston arrived for the date, Lara shortly informed him that she would not be joining him. Ever. Then added that he knew why. Preston accepted this with a shrug and then left without protest. Thankfully, Kyra had been out at the cinema with Bryce and was so exhausted by the time she got home that she went straight to bed. Lara could bearly understand the situation with Preston herself and couldn't imagine how to explain it to Kyra had the girl asked her about it.

There was a soft knock on the door. Lara sat up in bed, running a hand through her long hair.

"Come in." She murmured.

Hillary opened the door and peered cautiously into Lara's bedroom.

"Um, Lara, we have a slight problem." He stated delicately.

"Dear God!" She exclaimed, resting her forehead against the palm of her hand. "What else could possibly go wrong?!"

"There are about thirty reporters in front of the house." He said, softly. He closed the bedroom door behind him and walked over to Lara's bed. "Friends of Mr. Miller's, no doubt. They ambushed me when I went out for the newspaper." He added. "What do you want to do?"

"I don't know." Lara muttered. "Is Kyra awake yet?"

"No, no one else is up. Bryce is asleep on the couch in the living room, in case you're wondering. I think he stayed up late to work on some of his little toys."

"Well, at least we don't have to worry about him." Lara drew her knees to her chest and sighed. Suddenly, her face brightened and she looked up. "I've got an idea." She smiled. "Wake up Bryce and meet me at the back balcony with the stairs leading to the roof. Oh, and you remember that bullhorn that you bought me as a joke last Christmas? Bring that too." Lara added, hopping out of bed and searching through her closet for a fresh outfit.

Hillary raised an eyebrow at her, then gave a short bow and left the room. He wondered what she had in mind.

"Lara, are you sure that this is legal?" Bryce asked, hoisting his gun up to his shoulder.

"Of course it is," Lara responded, adjusting the volume on the bullhorn.

Hillary shook his head. The three were standing outside in the early morning sunshine in the back balcony. Lara shifted the bullhorn to her left hand and picked up her small black gun.

"Alright, everyone ready?" She asked, looking around at her companions.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Hillary stated, adjusting his grip on his gun.

Bryce shrugged. "Let's do it." He said.

Lara lead them up the stairs onto the roof of the manor. She cautiously approached the front of the manor and peered over the edge.

The reporters and camera men milled around her front door for several seconds when a young man sipping a cup of cold coffee glanced upwards.

"There she is, there she is!" He shouted, dropping the coffee and pointing at the roof of the manor.

On cue, the reporters shouted their questions and the flashbulbs of the camera illuminated the dim morning light. For a second Lara felt lost in the flashes of the cameras, she blinked and tried to remember what she had set out to do. Bryce nudging her arm with the barrel of his gun brought Lara back to reality. She tightened her grip on the bullhorn and brought it to her mouth.

"Alright, I'm only going to warn you slags once." Lara said, her voice booming over the shouted questions. "Either clear off my property or suffer the consequences." She brandished her gun for the crowd to see.

Several reporters quieted, weighing up the actuality of Lara Croft opening fire on a crowd of people. The more desperate ones only shouted their questions louder, wanting at least something to take back to their editors. None of the reporters made any move to leave the grounds. Within a few seconds even the hesitant journalists were snapping pictures again.

Lara set down the bullhorn and motioned for Hillary and Bryce to join her on the ledge of the building. "Aim for the chest, if you can." Lara instructed, checking the laser sight on her weapon.

"Are you sure, Lara?" Bryce asked, cautiously.

"Yes. Fire at will, boys." Lara aimed her gun and pulled the trigger. The reporter she hit fell to the ground clutching his chest, screaming.

"I've been shot! I've been shot!" He cried, grappling for a petite woman's ankle in desperation. The woman screamed and backed away from him. The reported lifted his hand to examine the wound and found his shirt to be soaked in purple paint. He looked at the paint on his fingers in confusion.

Bryce's face lightened. "Paint ball?" He asked Lara.

"Of course," Lara said, shooting another man in the forearm. "You didn't think that I would _really_ shoot them, did you?"

Bryce shrugged, sheepishly. "Sometimes you worry me." He admitted.

Hillary laughed. "Me too." He lifted his gun and shot a yellow paint ball at a chubby man with glasses trying to help the first man up.

"What was all that noise this morning?" Kyra asked, rubbing her tired eyes and contemplating taking another raspberry tart from Hillary's artful breakfast arrangement.

"What noise?" Lara asked, flipping through the newspaper that Hillary had collected in a bored fashion.

"All the shouting and everything." Kyra said.

"Well, we had a few unwelcome guests this morning. Bryce, Hillary and I had to take care of them." Lara said, setting the paper down and taking a sip of her herbal tea.

Bryce smirked at her. In a strange way the three had enjoyed their morning adventure. And soon were seeing who could hit the most reporters on their flight from the manor. No one could decide who won and the three spent the rest of the morning playfully arguing about it while Hillary prepared breakfast.

"Oh." Kyra shrugged. The little girl had no idea what Lara was talking about, instead she had more pressing matters on her mind. "We're going to see Uncle Alex today, right?" She asked, hopefully.

"Well, there is an open visitation time set up for today." Lara said slowly. "But if you don't want to see him, then it's not a big deal. I mean, he's not expecting us or anything." She said, hoping that the little girl really didn't want to see Alex. She realized that her motivations were purely selfish since it was actually her who didn't want to see Alex.

"I think that we should go visit him." Kyra said, nodding. "He must be so lonely there. He'll be glad to see some familiar faces."

Lara bit her lower lip. "Alright, we'll go see him then." Hillary raised an eyebrow at her and Lara couldn't met his gaze.

Lara sighed deeply and watched the young mother sitting across from her in the waiting room play with her baby. The women displayed an impressive talent for mimicking the sounds made by barnyard animals that made her baby giggle and smile. Lara tore her gaze away from the pair. She felt numb. She always felt that way around children. While she had no real desire to have a baby she couldn't deny that some part of her wanted to be a mother. Being with Kyra, she had felt more maternal than even, but being that Kyra had only recent come into her life, there was a vast difference between being a mother to her and giving birth to a child of her own.

Lara rubbed her face and leaned back in the uncomfortable black chair. When Lara and Kyra had arrived at the police station where Alex was being held they had been informed that only person may visit at a time. Lara had graciously invited Kyra to be the first. Kyra had been gone nearly and hour now. Lara shifted in her seat, feeling extremely out of her element. It seemed as if the entire station bred a particular kind discomfort for all that passed through the bullet proof glass doors.

The young mother stopped doing her impression of a barn cat and glanced at Lara.

"Your husband?" She asked.

"Pardon?" Lara said, realizing that the young woman was talking to her.

"Are you waiting to see your husband?" She repeated.

"No." Lara said, quickly. "He's not my husband."

"Ex?" She asked. "I saw you with your little girl earlier. She has such a sweet temperament."

"Oh, she does, but she's not my daughter. He's not my ex either. Well, he kind of my ex. But we never official dated. Then we became business partners and well, that didn't turn out well, which is why he's here. And the little girl isn't his either, she's his niece that he got custody of after her parents died earlier this year and. . ." Lara trailed off when she realized what she was saying. She lapsed into thought for a moment, trying to remember how this situation had gotten so complicated, so fast.

The young mother nodded, pretending to understand and then turned her attention back to her baby with a very convincing "Mooo!".

"Lara, Lara!" The tomb raider turned to see Kyra racing down the hall towards her. "Uncle Alex wants to see you. He figured out who did all the bad things that the police think he did and he needs you to help him." She informed Lara breathlessly.

"I don't know if I should. . ." Lara said, hesitantly.

"But you have to, Lara. You've just got to help Uncle Alex! Come on, he's waiting for you." Kyra said, tugging on Lara's arm. "Come on, come on, hurry!" She encouraged.

"Did you want to see him, Miss?" A uniformed officer asked, gently placing his hand on Kyra's shoulder.

"Come on, Lara, you've just got to." Kyra pleaded.

"Alright." Lara sighed. She rose from her chair and followed the officer down the hall towards the rooms usually used for interrogation.

"Here you are," the officer said, stopping at a door, "would it be alright if I showed Kyra around the office while you're visiting, Miss?" He asked.

"Yes, that would be fine. Thank you." Lara said, numbly. The officer unlocked the door for her and Lara stepped inside, not knowing what to expect.

Alex, seated comfortably at the interrogation table, was unshaved, his rough facial hair making him look much older than his thirty-three years. He looked slimmer, an unflattering prison jumpsuit falling loosely around his form. He stood when Lara entered the room, but did not approach her. He searched her eyes.

"I don't look that bad, do I?" He asked, sheepishly. His hand brushing his chin.

Lara laughed, she felt the tensions ease slightly. She approached Alex and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I miss you." She murmured, resting her head against his shoulder.

"Hmmm," Alex smirked at her sudden display of affection. "I should get arrested more often." He stated, wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her tightly. "I'm glad that you came to see me." He whispered in her ear.

Lara pulled away from him, his words brought her back to a very cold reality.

"Kyra said that you wanted to see me about something, what was it?" She asked, taking the seat opposite from where Alex had been seated when she had entered.

Alex sat down, placing his hands on the cold table. "I think I know who framed me. I've had a lot of time to think about this and I might know where to get the evidence."

Lara's gaze fell.

"I just need you to get Bryce to look over the bank records for the account I used for the school's sponsor generated money-" Alex paused, noticing Lara's change in expression. "What?"

"I don't know." Lara murmured. "This all sounds like a wild goose chase." She answered, honestly.

"I'm sorry?" Alex asked, his eyes that were filled with a soft acceptance growing hard and angry.

Lara paused, carefully wording her next sentence. "Alex, you have proven yourself untrustworthy to me several times now especially when dealing with money and I can't-"

"Can't what? Believe that I'm innocent?" Alex finished her sentence and Lara wordlessly nodded. "I know that I've been untrustworthy in the past, and yes, I will admit, I have been a total asshole to you, but you've got to believe me, I didn't do it." He took her hand. "Please Lara, I need you to trust me on this. I know that you want to, why else did you hug me?"

Lara shook her head. "For a second I forgot that I was me and that you were you." She said softly. "I always wanted to trust you Alex and believe what you're telling me, but every opportunity you get to prove yourself, you fail. Miserably. I've lost my faith in you." She paused. "I don't think I can deal with the disappointment, Alex. And I don't want to get Kyra's hopes up if the evidence that you think will clear you will actually just incriminate you more."

"Lara, don't do this to me. Please, I need you on my side. I love you and you have to trust me." He gently cupped her chin, bringing her gaze to met his. "Please?" He murmured.

Lara hesitated, the words were caught in her throat. She could feel her eyes filling with tears. "I can't, Alex. I just can't."

Alex released her hand and sat back in the chair, deep in thought. He sighed deeply. "Fine." He muttered. "Look, if you don't want to investigate this to clear me then investigate it to see what happened to the money that you contributed."

There was a long silence between the two.

"I don't have anything else to say to you, Lara." Alex's voice was cold and final. Lara nodded and rose from the chair. She left the room, quietly closing the door behind herself. She leaned back against the door, her hot tears welling in her eyes.


End file.
